Newly-appointed Penang BN chief Teng Chang Yeow is unmoved by the state DAP secretary’s claim that he is merely an Umno puppet.

NONE Teng, who is Gerakan secretary-general, said tongue-in-cheek that he is thankful for the concern that Ng Wei Aik (right) has shown over his appointment.

"Let him talk to himself. I am surprised and I thank him for his concern. (Anyway) whoever becomes the (state) BN chair(person) will be deemed as Umno's puppet," he told reporters yesterday.

Yesterday, Ng had claimed that Teng's appointment is not Gerakan's choice but Umno's, as the announcement had been delayed following the submission of his name last November to the BN national leadership.

Chang Yeow had been declared the head of Penang BN by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak while on a one-day working trip to Nibong Tebal and Georgetown.

NONE The Penang BN’s working committee held a meeting yesterday, chaired by state Gerakan chief Dr Teng Hock Nan (left) .

At a press conference afterwards, Chang Yeow said the committee would be maintained as it has been "performing well", and that Hock Nan will remain its chairperson.

The committee, comprising members of BN coalition partners, has been organising joint activities like walkabouts in Penang as a show of unity among the parties.

It is learnt that Hock Nan may not contest in the coming polls, in order to pave the way for new faces to be included in Gerakan’s candidate list.

"Initially, I thought there should be someone to do the mobilising and organising work, but what we need to do now is draw up a job scope so that it will not overlap with the Penang BN committee," he told reporters at the coalition's headquarters in Bayan Baru.

Immediate priorities

The Penang BN committee is likely to hold its first meeting next week and will decide whether there should be changes to the state leadership line-up, said Chang Yeow.

NONE "I need to discuss (this) with the component party chiefs," he said.

Asked if there are any Umno leaders who have opposed his appointment, Chang Yeow said: "I do not think there is any problem. The problem now is how to face the battle (general election) with Pakatan Rakyat.

"We want to win back the people's confidence, whether we have a long or short time. The most important thing is (whether) we have a set of policies (to win back the people's hearts).”

On the Penang BN candidates list, he said this will be discussed between the party chiefs and Najib, who heads the national BN.