Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has found an unlikely supporter in rival party Gerakan over leaflets depicting him wearing the Muslim skullcap.

Gerakan Penang chief Dr Teng Hock Nan condemned the “irresponsible, unethical and the despicable” act of circulating the doctored photograph of Lim wearing the skullcap, together with PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim and state assembly speaker Abdul Halim Hussein.

The people behind the act are merely seeking political mileage, Teng said.

NONE "Smearing one another's names in politics should not be our culture," he said in a statement today.

"I urge the people behind the act to stop it immediately," he added.

Teng was referring to Lim's revelation yesterday that a doctored photo of him wearing the kopiah was being circulated in Balik Pulau, mostly around the Malay dominated areas.

Lim has appealed to the people to ignore the photo and denied ever using a skullcap.

He described the photo as "slanderous and lies" and said it was professionally done, although he was unable to identify the culprit.

The DAP secretary-general's photo had been doctored before, when he was depicted slaughtering a cow in a mosque compound during Hari Raya Haji last year.

Teng, the former Pulau Tikus assemblyperson, expressed hope that politicians and leaders - whether in government or in the opposition - would practise politics in a very honorable, ethical and professional manner.

"This is to show a good example to our future generations," he added.