Beruas parliamentarian and Perak DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham has challenged Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abd Kadir and his exco to stop acting under “false pretenses” in reaching out to Chinese Malaysians.

He unleashed a tirade today over the BN’s ‘incompetence’ in running the state, hinting that Pakatan Rakyat would do a better job in its place.

"If they want to go to school, please go back to school and let competent people run the state,” he told a press conference in the Parliament lobby today.

NONE Ngeh ( left ) was responding to a report in the Chinese-language Sin Chew Daily , which featured Zambry and his exco members attending Mandarin class.

"It has been given national coverage by Sin Chew (but) it only shows that the BN exco members are the most incompetent people," he said.

He also told Zambry to stop pretending to put priority on Mandarin and English, describing the state government's initiative to teach its officers the two languages as "only for show" and "not genuine".

Ngeh expressed hope that the Chinese community will not be misled, reminding it of a recent state directive not to hire officers who are competent in Mandarin but to send Malay officers for Mandarin classes instead.

"Learning a language takes a long time. Why can't they treasure the Chinese community by absorbing those competent in Mandarin into public service? These Chinese also have good command of Bahasa Malaysia. Why can't they maximise our resources?" he asked.

He hinted at Zambry's incompetence by claiming that the latter requires two advisers - Perak Gerakan chief Chan Ko Yuan and MIC vice president S Veerasingam - to help him run the state.

"Don't waste public funds and office hours. If it (the current administration) is not competent, then go back to the people and choose a competent leadership to run the state.”

Pakatan Rakyat had won Perak in the March 2008 general election, but lost control of the legislative assembly 10 months later after three state assembly representatives turned ‘BN-friendly’ Independents.

‘Ready to meet EC’

Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who was at the press conference, said he is ready to meet Election Commission chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusoff to discuss local government elections in Penang.

NONE He was responding to news reports which stated that the EC would announce its decision on the Penang government’s request next week.

"Before they do that, it is incumbent upon the EC, their obligation, to discuss with us so that they get our input. Any further clarification is best decided in a discussion with us,” said Lim ( left ).

"If they make any decision without our views,  I do not think they will be able to do a thoroughly professional and independent job."

Lim said he hopes the EC will prove its integrity and professionalism, as well as independence from BN, in arriving at a decision.

He dismissed premier Najib Abdul Razak's reaction as irrelevant since local government elections are a constitutionally derived prerogative and within the authority of an independent EC to decide and conduct.

Asked about the additional cost of holding the ‘third vote’, Lim replied: "Instead of a double election, why don't you hold a triple election - parliament, local and state - all at once? This would save costs."

The restoration of local council polls, suspended in 1964, was a big-ticket item on the Pakatan election manifesto in 2008, but has yet to be delivered mainly because of legislative hurdles.

The Selangor government has also said it will explore the possibility of electing municipal councillors, who are currently appointed to these posts.

The Coalition for Good Governance has pointed out ways in which the EC can be bypassed if it proves uncooperative.