Former chief minister Koh Tsu Koon appears very peeved with a former Gerakan stalwart for saying that he was “sleep talking” on the issue of Penang investments.

Koh, who is Gerakan president, traded barbs with former Jelutong MP Lee Kah Choon, accusing him instead of “sleeping on the job”.

NONE Koh ( left ) said Lee, who is Invest Penang chairperson, should be careful about his remarks and double check his facts before speaking on an issue he (Koh) has knowledge about.

“When he opened his mouth, he showed his ignorance of the matter. I am talking about how investments are organised, that they take time, and not about how they are made,” said Koh.

“Don't accuse me of sleep talking, I hope he is not sleeping on the job,” he added during a press conference in Penang today.

Yesterday, Lee suggested that Koh may be “sleep talking” when the latter said that investment decisions take time to be made.

Fighting back at criticisms against his previous leadership in Penang prior to 2008, Koh has defended himself and claimed credit for the state’s current economic success, saying that investment decisions take several years to make.

Lee, who relinquished all party post in Gerakan following the last polls when the party lost all its seats in Penang, said that it was “ridiculous” for Koh to suggest that investment decisions take years to make in this modern age.

lee kah choon penang pc 170609 Lee ( right ) made the comment when an online news site quoted Koh accusing Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng of “unfairly” claiming credit that should rightly be attributed to Barisan Nasional.

Koh, who is a federal minister, said  he was not talking about bringing one technology but moving the whole facility from another country into Malaysia.

He insisted that to shift the entire company takes time as the investors need to compare the costs, location, human resources and infrastructure available in the country of interest.

“I know at least one such case. Lee should not be so ignorant, don’t use terms like sleep walking (on me),” he added.

Koh keeps mum about contesting in Penang

On a separate note, Koh kept mum about whether he would contest in a Penang seat in the coming general election, which may be called in November but is not due until 2013.

Koh has been facing an uphill struggle against what appears to be a concerted effort from within and outside Gerakan to seal his political career.

Although repeatedly asked by reporters today, Koh merely said “we will let you know”, then later added “you will get to know about it”.

“Why are you so excited, why has this become a topic? Is this a major political topic?” he asked.

Koh, who is Penang BN chief, then said that the party has been hearing all kinds of grouses from the grassroots.

He added that since the party practised democracy, such lamentations were allowed to surface.

Although the complaints are now being openly discussed on cyberspace such as through Facebook , Koh added that the party would have to find ways to deal with the matter.

“The success of any party is the combination of its veterans and youths... we do listen to the grassroots... whenever there are the strongest leaders, there are also the strongest challengers,” he said.

When asked whether he would lead the state BN in the next general election, Koh was also very evasive about the matter.

“Some of us are veterans here, we will be around to play our role... what role, we will let you know,” he said.

The knives are out for Gerakan boss