A PKR assemblyperson who was barred from handling financial aid for flood victims has opened fire on Penang authorities and vowed to continue helping his constituents.

Cheah Kah Peng claimed that the move was aimed at punishing his constituents.

"At this crucial moment, I am surprised to be stopped from helping the people by this impractical and unintelligent move. What sort of mindset is this?

"I don't think any sensible, logical and sane government would stop a democratically elected representative from helping the people.

"I do not know who came up with this idea of stopping us from helping them," the Kebun Bunga representative told reporters at his service centre.

Asked for clarification, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the decision was due to "an internal procedure change".

Lim said he and DAP Pulau Tikus assemblyperson Yap Soo Huey would handle the task in order for the registration to be completed in 10 days.

"The internal procedural changes were necessary to ensure that all flood victims can be comprehensively registered.

"The focus is to help flood victims and internal changes are necessary towards ensuring they would benefit from our RM105 million 'Penang Bounce Back' programme," Lim said.

Rep vows to continue

However, Cheah said he would continue to respond to his constituents who require help in registering for the RM700 per household flood aid.

The PKR representative does not see this as defying the state authorities and argued that the decision to bar him was "invalid and unsubstantiated".

"It was a lousy excuse, not an excuse even. They did not even give me a proper explanation," he said.

Cheah also denied that he was playing politics with regard to the flood disaster that claimed seven lives and displaced thousands of people.

"It is not about who likes me and who doesn't. It is about helping the victims who have suffered, whose houses were flooded and whose properties were lost.

"I cannot forsake the people of Kebun Bunga. I cannot be taken out by whoever who thinks they can take me out. The people of Kebun Bunga voted for me,” he added.

Cheah said he was surprised to learn that he had been dropped from the registration exercise when informed via an email by state secretary Farizan Darus on Nov 20.

In an immediate reply to the email, the Kebun Bunga assemblyperson said he posed six questions.

“But all I received was a single line response saying that he (Farizan) was not in Penang,” he added.

Cheah urged reporters to seek answers from Farizan and the chief minister, saying it would be interesting to read their response.

The PKR representative was also asked if he was being penalised for questioning the state on a bill to allow the 130-year-old Penang Botanic Gardens to be corporatised.

“Interesting question,” he said. "I would be very interested to know the answer."