Sungai Pinang state assemblyperson Teng Chang Khim today said that he held no ill-feeling against the newly formed PKR-DAP-PAS state government or with the Selangor DAP following his exclusion from the new state exco line up.

dap cc meeting 220107 teng chang khim And he clarified that there was no ulterior intention in his part for missing the swearing-in ceremony of the new exco members on Monday.

Speculation of Teng’s discontent was rife when Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim announced that there will be no deputy post despite initial presumption that Teng was one of the favourites for the post.

However Teng was not even in the exco list announced by Khalid. His party DAP’s three positions were taken by up Teresa Kok, Ronnie Liu and Ean Yong Hian Wah.

Clearing the air off the allegation of any rift within his party or the new state government, Teng said that his absence was a mere “technical mistake” as he had not received the invitation card.

“I received an SMS at about 10.45pm on the eve of the swearing-in ceremony asking me to confirm my presence.

“However by then I had scheduled my attendance for a case at the Shah Alam High Court. I was unable to find someone to replace me to handle the legal matter by then,” said Teng, a lawyer by profession.

“At a personal level, I am alright with the new state government lineup. This is a new era and let bygone be bygone,” he added.

Teng also said that the media should not sensationalise the matter.

“I was tipped to be deputy menteri besar as well as the State Assembly speaker. I emphasise on the word ‘tipped’ which means that it is mere speculation and not truth,” he said.

Sidelined in party

Before the tide of opposition victory had befall Selangor, the state has been known to be impenetrable for the opposition.

A very popular Teng however was among the few opposition representatives in the state and had managed to sustain his influence there for more than a decade.

March 8 polls saw him retaining his Sungai Pinang seat by a majority of 7,361 votes, 3,613 more votes than the 2004 elections against his MCA rival and veteran Song Kee Chai.

“I am in constant contact with the new government and will cooperate with them (and) will continue to focus on my constituency,” said Teng.

Teng’s exclusion became one of the many basis for BN attacks on the opposition. Countering accusations that BN is practicing cronyism, the party took the same shot against the opposition.

The three DAP exco members - Kok of Kinrara, Liu of Pandamaran and state chief Ean Yong of Sri Kembangan- are known to have the backing both DAP leaders Lim Kit Siang and his son, Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng, who is also the party secretary general.

BN leaders say this was evident of cronyism as a senior and experienced candidate like Teng has been sidelined from state leadership to make way for party members favoured by the “father and son hegemony”.