Lim takes Tengku Adnan to task

GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (pix) has called on Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to answer growing calls on why Penang should be turned into a federal territory.
"We want him (Tengku Adnan) to come out and explain. If he can't, he should withdraw the suggestion and apologise," he said during a press conference to announce the number of participants who had signed up for the "I Love Penang" run.
Six thousand people have registered to participate in the event to date.
Lim said the state government had decided to increase the number of participants to 8,000 due to overwhelming responses from public.
"So, we expect another 2,000 people will take part in the 7km "I Love Penang" run on March 12.
"They can finish off Penang and make it a federal territory where you (Penangites) won't be able to decide the affairs of your own state, it will be decided by ministers in Putrajaya.
"The state assemblymen, exco members and chief minister living in Penang (will be gone)," he told reporters.
The state government launched the "I Love Penang" campaign in response to Tengku Adnan's suggestion.
Lim said the campaign was a movement of people opposed to the idea of Penangites not having a say in how the state is governed.
In the same press conference, State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation exco Chow Kon Yeow said as of Thursday, the state received 20 submissions for the "I Love Penang" logo contest.
During an interview with a radio station earlier this month, Tengku Adnan mooted the idea of turning Langkawi, parts of Malacca and Penang into federal territories.