Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said leaders who renege on their earlier stand, which was made collectively as a team, only to take an opposing view later are of no value and honour.

Lim said Pakatan Harapan had been able to collectively run the state and decide on administrative matters as a team because they “are men and women with honour”.

In his speech at the Chinese New Year celebrations in his his state constituency of Air Putih last night, Lim said: “When we agree on something in a meeting, we do not go out of the meeting and take an opposing and different view, we don't go back on our words.

“We don't tikam belakang (backstab). Any person who does that - agree in a meeting and later takes a different position, is of no value.”

Lim’s remarks come in the midst of his decision in January to sack two PKR assemblymen from their director posts in state government-linked companies (GLCs), which he chairs.

Lim did not mention names but it is believed that he was referring to PKR assemblymen Ong Chin Wen (Bukit Tengah, photo ) and Cheah Kah Peng (Kebun Bunga), whom he claimed reneged on their decision to oppose an Umno’s motion on sea reclamation at the state legislative assembly in November last year.

Last Friday, Lim told Malaysiakini that the duo did not inform him of their decision to abstain from casting their votes against Umno.

They were sacked from their posts in the GLCs because he (Lim) no longer had confidence or trust in them, since they reneged on their earlier stand.

He later described Ong and Cheah as “backstabbers, betrayers and those who were out to stage a coup against PKR Deputy Chief Minister I Rashid Hasnon”.

Both Ong, the state PKR whip in the state assembly, and Cheah have refused to comment.

Yesterday, Selangor Menteri Besar and PKR deputy chief Azmin Ali defended the duo, saying they were only carrying out their role as state assemblymen.

Azmin:They did not slander

“They did not slander (any parties). We are against the culture of lies and slander. As elected representatives, they were merely providing feedback and their views. This should be welcomed and there was no need to take any action,” Azmin had said, when asked to comment on the matter at a CNY event in Bukit Lanjan.

Other than the duo, three other assemblypersons - Dr T Jayabalan (Batu Uban), Norlela Arrifin (Penanti) and Lee Khai Loon (Machang Bubok) also abstained from casting their votes in the November proceedings.

The five had defended their stand, saying they decided to abstain from voting out the Umno motion based on their “conscience.”

According to Lim, the posts of the other three as directors in GLCs are not affected, as he had no problems with them.

On the social media, there has been mixed public reaction to Lim’s move to sack the two PKR assemblymen.

Some quarters felt he was doing the right thing by weeding out “backstabbers” from the administration, while others equated his move to Prime Minister Najib Razak axing his toughest critics - former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin ( photo ) and former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir.

But after two days of being criticised by some quarters, Lim warned Penangites to be prepared for a challenging 14th general election, which will be called not later than July 2018.

He said money politics by the BN would play a big part in GE14 amidst unresolved allegations of the 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion donation scandal involving Najib’s private bank accounts.

Harapan, he said, would never indulge in money politics.

“You can take the money the other side, but still support the Rocket (DAP’s party symbol),” he quipped to loud applause.

Lim said another challenge that Harapan faced in Penang was consolidating the new coalition.

Although there is a new pact, people saw it as having “some underlying connection with PAS,” he said.

Penangites wanted a committed state government that doesn't talk about extremism and racism, but one that can deliver what the people want, he added.

Lim gave his assurance that the Haparan government in Penang - including the 19 DAP and nine PKR representatives were 100 percent united and would make all decisions “collectively”.

Harapan has 29 seats in the state legislative assembly, with PAS holding only one, Permatang Pasir.