The BN leaders' show of support for state development officer (SDO) Nik Ali Nik Yunus against criticisms by Penang’s chief minister Lim Guan Eng smacks of moves by the BN to sabotage the Pakatan Rakyat-led state, DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua said today.

NONE Citing Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Chief Secretary Mohd Sidek Hassan’s defence of Nik Ali and their indifference to his “outright transgressions”, Pua ( left ) said it was clear that the BN-led federal government was using the civil service’s “little Napoleons” to make life difficult for the Pakatan state governments, to their own political interests.

Najib, Muhyiddin and Sidek's actions set a dangerous precedent and serve to endorse recalcitrance by these rogue civil servants , and even clearly encourage them to openly defy the Pakatan-led state governments, Pua added.

“The Barisan Nasional leaders are unable to accept the situation where a government founded on ‘competency, accountability and transparency’ will outstrip the performance of BN and have instead chosen to inculcate “little Napoleons” in the civil service to sabotage state policies that serve to benefit the rakyat.

Pua, who is also Petaling Jaya Utara MP, was commenting on the public spat between Lim and Nik Ali on the latter’s role in three projects - the arches at the Botanical Gardens, the alleged illegal sand mining in Balik Pulau and the stop-work order on the construction of the Defence Ministry's multi-storey air force school building in Tanjung Bungah.

NONE On Monday, Nik Ali ( left ) hit back at Lim, saying that the chief minister was ignorant of the role of an SDO.

Nik Ali had also reportedly insulted Lim by uttering words like biadab (disrespectful) and dayus (coward).

Coming to Nik Ali’s defence, Najib had said the cabinet regretted and found unacceptable the Penang CM's actions in "tarnishing the image" of a federal officer, whereas Muhyiddin claimed the cabinet had found nothing wrong in Nik Ali’s actions.

Najib also said Lim should be tactful when reprimanding officers

over issues and should do it behind closed doors.

Pua, however, said Najib has clearly gone against his “people first, performance now” slogan by getting civil servants to serve BN's own political interests.

“The Pakatan Rakyat state governments have no beef with the Malaysian civil service, and we have worked well with many top civil servants who have given outstanding performance in the delivery of our policies.  

“However, the Pakatan governments will not tolerate the presence of "little Napoleons" whose only roles are to serve their own personal interest as well as that of Umno and BN.

“The continued presence of, and encouragement given, to these "little Napoleons" will only result in continued leakages, corruption and inefficiency in the government delivery mechanism, and will turn away precious local and foreign investors who will see no practical changes with the government despite the implementation of the New Economic Model.”

Lim 'accepts' PM, DPM's message

NONE Lim ( right ), meanwhile said today he accepted what he described as "a message" from Najib and Muhyiddin over his attack against Nik Ali.

"I take it that the message from the prime minister and deputy prime

minister is that the federal government wants to defend 'Little Napoleons'," Bernama reported him as saying after officiating the Family Day of the Penang Development Corporation in Georgetown.