Penang opposition leader Jahara Hamid is upset and angry with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, after he called her a “racist grandmother”.

His comment had come yesterday after she questioned the alleged selective action against illegal businesses based on race.

Jahara wants Lim to apologise for the remark made in the Penang state legislative assembly as he has “lowered the dignity” of the chief minister’s position.

“The remark is insulting to me and all grandmothers. Because I am a grandmother, my dignity is being belittled,” Jahara said at a press conference at the state assembly today.

“As a CM, he should not speak like this. Everyone should be given the right to speak, more so as an opposition leader, I should be allowed to raise the grievances of the people.

“It seems he cannot be criticised at all. He is too sensitive."

NONEJahara (right) said that by labelling her a racist grandmother, Lim himself being “sexist and thinks he is above everything”.

Lim had said he always thought that she was a typical grandmother but now “she has become an unreasonable and racist grandmother”.

He asked why Jahara had not mentioned that there are also Malay vendors in Pantai Bersih, adding that she had taken a racist approach when raising the issue of illegal hawkers.

Jahara, the BN's Telok Ayer Tawar assemblyperson, explained that she had questioned why no action were taken against four big restaurants in Pantai Bersih owned by Chinese owners.

“It is true, they are owned by Chinese. But I was asking why there was no action against them compared to the two hawker stalls which were demolished in Gurney Drive,” she explained.

Jahara denied being racist in her approach, saying she was questioning the double standards.

She claimed that no action had been taken against the four restaurants despite erecting illegal concrete extensions over the sea front.

“The (owners) were merely slapped with compound (notices) although they are big concerns. But the small stalls, which the owners run to earn their daily keep, were demolished,” she added.

“Were they (big four restaurants) ever given notices to leave the premises by the Seberang Perai Municipal Council?”

Pulau Betong assemblyperson Muhammad Farid Saad he was “shocked” to see news reports on Lim’s remarks.

“I did not think he would say such a thing. For the first time, I've lost my respect for Lim. All 10 of us (BN representatives have) lost our respect for him," he said.

“If he wants respect, he needs to respect others also. It looks like he does not respect us, we are very disappointed with him.”

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