Gerakan advisor and former president Lim Keng Yaik is, though not showing it, is shocked by former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Lee Kah Choon’s move to accept directorship of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and InvestPenang.

Describing it as a ‘lump in my throat’, Lim, when asked to elaborate further on what he thought of Lee’s move to spearhead PDC which is now under the control of a Pakatan Rakyat government, said that he has ‘only pity’ for the latter.

He, however, also said that he wished Lee the ‘best of luck’.

"Just five days after the general election, Lee requested that I have dinner with him and when I met him, he was telling me of his grand plans to revive the party’s image as well as plans to make the party a watchdog on the new DAP-led state government.

lim keng yaik 02 "Now (after his recent move) Lee will face great suspicion from DAP members as he still is a Gerakan member and BN as well as Gerakan will also doubt his loyalty," Keng Yaik ( left ) told reporters at a hastily-convened press conference held at the party’s headquarters in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

Lee surprised both DAP and Gerakan members when he accepted Penang Pakatan Rakyat chief minister Lim Guan Eng’s offer yesterday to helm the PDC. The PDC and InvestPenang are investment development agencies of the state government.

Media reports have quoted Guan Eng as saying that he may be in for heavy criticisms for accepting ‘an enemy into the fortress’ though he added he was ready to explain his move to his party members.

Keng Yaik, however, said the hiring of a Gerakan strongman was part of DAP’s political game and it would only be to Guan Eng’s loss as the act would be seen as a ‘politically selfish move’ instead of a sincere effort to help the people of Penang.

‘Still politics involved’

"Lee’s appointment also shows that DAP lacks the necessary skilled people to run Penang and that DAP had to get an experienced, clean and transparent local leader like Lee to do the job," he said.

"I am proud of Gerakan. Lee’s appointment reflects the calibre of our party to produce good local leaders, something DAP cannot afford to do," said Lim who added that most of the Penang executive councillors (exco) were not locals.

koh tsu koon Asked if he thought Lee’s resignation as Gerakan deputy secretary-general last month was a hint that party president Koh Tsu Koon ( right) should follow suit, Lim said it was possible.

"Of course. But if you think Koh Tsu Koon is going to resign, no way!" stressed Lim.

Asked if disciplinary action would be taken against Lee for accepting a Pakatan Rakyat government offer, Lim said that he was not in the position to determine this as he was no longer part of the party’s central committee line-up.

"I am not the president anymore. The party’s central working committee and the central committee will decide on Lee’s future," said Lim who then disclosed that the party’s central committee would convene this Sunday and could ‘possibly’ discuss Lee’s future in the party.

Asked repeatedly what he felt personally about Lee’s action, the former Gerakan president remained reserved and refused to divulge his personal opinion on the matter.

"There is still politics involved. If Lee can perform his job without pushing Pakatan Rakyat’s agenda further and still remain loyal to Gerakan, he is a superman," added Lim.

Closing the half-an-hour press conference, Lim said that all he could say to Lee was ‘best of luck’ stressing that he was not being sarcastic about it.