The fallout between DAP and PKR over the resignation of Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin as the Penanti state representative continued today with a DAP leader jumping to defend Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng.

dap scholarship fund pc 130607 tony pua DAP's information chief Tony Pua ( left ) said that Lim, also the party secretary-general, should not be attacked for stating his displeasure with the manner PKR handled Mohammad Fairus' resignation as an elected representative.

"Lim had the right to express his disagreement with the failure by the national PKR leadership to inform him of the resignation of Mohamad Fairus as state representative for Penanti state seat on April 16," said Pua in a statement today.

He added that it was unnecessary for PKR deputy chief Dr Syed Husin Ali to place a gag order on Lim over the chief minister's unhappiness with the situation surrounding Mohammad Fairus's resignation.

Yesterday Syed Husin had urged Lim not to raise his unhappiness over the issue openly as it would only benefit Barisan Nasional.

"On behalf of PKR, I ask him not to raise this matter through the media," Syed Husin had said in a statement, adding that PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim had spoken to Lim to clarify any outstanding matters.

lim guan eng penang pc 100409 Lim had said that he was unhappy with the manner PKR handled Mohammad Fairus' resignation as Penanti representative, complaining that he was kept in the dark by PKR of that decision.

However Pua said Syed Husin's instruction to Lim was "ill-advised and uncalled for".

He added that Syed Husin should have instead put a leash on Penang PKR chief and MP for Bayan Baru Zahrain Mohamed Hashim.

"Zahrain's baseless attacks against Lim are ill-advised, irresponsible and politically motivated to help hide weaknesses in his leadership that caused so many problems in Penang PKR," he said.

Behaving like little Umno leader

syed husin book launch 091108 syed husin He also added that it was ironical that Syed Husin chose to raise the matter through a press statement in making the call for Lim to stop speaking to the media on the issue.

Pua added that Anwar's explanation to Lim was totally different from that implied by Syed Husin.

"At no time did Anwar say that Lim had no right to express his concerns when asked by the press.

"It would have been wiser and rational for Syed Husin and Zahrain to check with Anwar to understand what else Anwar had expressed to Lim," he added.

He also said that Lim had no intention to continue pursuing the matter in the media.

"But he had the right to express his concerns that he was informed by the press on April 16, and not by PKR, on Mohamad Fairus' resignation letter dated March 19."

He said it was unacceptable as PKR had denied even two days before the resignation took effect on April 16 that there was such a resignation.

He also expressed disappointment that PKR had failed to reciprocate the goodwill shown by DAP in the entire episode since Mohammad Fairus first resigned as the deputy chief minister 1.

He also lashed out at Zahrain for behaving like a little Umno leader with comments that do not reflect the multi-racial nature of PKR and its Malaysian spirit.

An unlikely ally

Lim also found support in the form of state opposition party Gerakan.

Penang Gerakan secretary Ong Thean Lye said PKR leaders were being disrespectful to Lim by asking him to stop discussing Fairus' resignation.

"Fairus was elected by the people to be their assemblyperson, so the public has the right to know what's happening to him," said Ong in a statement.

"It is a pity that Lim is now being gagged from talking about the issue. Lim said he respected Anwar but the same could not be said of PKR leaders towards Lim," he said.

penang anti isa forum 150908 zahrain md hashim Zahrain ( right ) had criticised Lim yesterday for using the media to voice out his dissatisfaction towards PKR and Anwar.

"It is true that as the chief minister he has the prerogative but at least give us the opportunity to determine what we want to do. He should have listened first to what we are going to suggest," he had said.

And he went on to cite numerous instances of which Lim had made decisions concerning the state without consulting PKR.

Mohammad Fairus stepped down as the Penanti state representative last Thursday after months of speculation that he would be relinquishing all his state posts.

He had been blighted with allegations of under-performance and corruption and was forced to step down as deputy chief minister (1) and as state exco member. He was also replaced by PKR from the party's state leadership.