The opposition has chastised Gerakan president Lim Keng Yaik for accusing Penang MCA state chief Wong Kam Hong as the "instigator" behind an anti-Porr campaign in Penang.

DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang said Keng Yaik is 'going for the kill' by gunning for Wong in utter disregard for the people's rights and interests, particularly their demand for the controversial Porr project to be deferred.

He urged Keng Yaik to produce proof to back his allegation that Wong headed a MCA anti-Porr caucus in Penang.

"But in a democratic country, it should be no crime for elected representatives of the ruling coalition to disagree with any particular development project based on their conscience," he added.

Yesterday, Keng Yaik charged that Wong was the "instigator" of the actions of the two 'errant' MCA representatives Tan Cheng Liang (Jawi) and Lim Boo Chang (Datuk Keramat) who abstained from voting against a DAP motion on the highway project.

Ample proof

Keng Yaik said he had ample proof of Wong, who is parliament secretary to the Domestic and Consumer Affair Ministry, as "instigator" of a MCA anti-Porr campaign in Penang.

The MCA duo, who is facing disciplinary action, will know their fate tomorrow as the party's disciplinary committee had met to hear their case on Friday.

Porr, dubbed 'the most expensive highway in the country', cost RM1.02 billion and is expected to affect 20 percent of the islanders, who are continuing their campaign against the proposed 17.8 km road.

Contacted in Penang today, Keadilan supreme council member Cheah Kah Peng urged the government to get their perspective right as the recent power struggle between Gerakan and MCA is not beneficial to the people.

"It's a dog-eat-dog world. It seems to me that those who cannot secure a resolution to Porr resort to publicity stunts," said Cheah, who is Penang Keadilan deputy chief.

Satisfactory answers

"Those who cannot get publicity are worse. They resort to internal bickering within their party," he added.

Cheah, a lawyer, said Penang residents want satisfactory answers to all the questions on the viability of Porr instead of the on-going drama between the two parties.

He added that the theatrics between MCA and Gerakan are designed to get their political master, "Umno's neck off the noose", as certain individuals in the party are benefitting from the project, such as an Umno division head.

Meanwhile, in today's media reports, Keng Yaik also said that he would file an official complaint against Wong with the Barisan Nasional supreme council as the behaviour of a member of Parliament and parliamentary secretary in opposing a Federal Government project cannot be "condoned".

But Keng Yaik seemed to have no qualms in "condoning" such type of conduct when Umno elected representatives are concerned, Kit Siang said.

Against people's wishes

"Nobody has heard Keng Yaik lodging a complaint against the four Umno representatives who abstained from voting againts PAS' Syariah Criminal Bill (Hudud and Qisas) in the Terengganu state assembly in July," he added.

Cheah said Keng Yaik should not be "so proud" of Gerakan's vote against the opposition motion to defer the mega-highway.

"How can Keng Yaik be proud of going against the people's wishes?" he asked.

"The open confrontation between MCA and Gerakan shows that BN had lied that component parties in the ruling coalition can negotiate without the opposition. Indeed, this is the biggest fallacy," he added.