State BN leaders furious with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for his recent outburst in the Chinese language dailies that their leader would 'sell Penang' if he came to power as head of state.

The reports referred to were published in the Aug 27 editions of Sin Chew Daily and Nanyang Siang Pau , which quote Lim as accusing state BN chief Teng Chang Yeow of having such an intention.

NONE State Gerakan legal and human rights bureau chief Baljit Singh ( left ) told reporters today that Lim was trying to divert attention from the internal leadership crisis besetting Pakatan Rakyat by turning his guns on Teng.

Baljit said the state Pakatan Rakyat was in a flurry lately when Malaysiakini revealed leaked minutes of an internal meeting that said Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman had referred to Lim as "cocky, arrogant and a tokong (deity)".

The lawyer then joked that Lim needed a mouthwash to "clean and cool down" his mouth for making such filthy accusations about Teng.

"I am not a salesman, but I recommend that he uses Listerine. It clears the germs, it is cool mint and it will cool off his (Lim's) mouth a little before he starts shooting blame at others," said Baljit, while showing off the brand of mouthwash and eliciting laughter from the reporters.

"We deserve a better chief minister, and we do not want a cheat minister."

Baljit was accompanied by state party publicity, information and communications bureau chief Dr Thor Teong Gee, political training head Rowena Yam and state party vice-chief Dr Lim Boon Han.

Teng blamed without proof

Baljit said Lim had levelled the accusation against Teng without any proof and blamed the chief minister as the one actually involved in several sales of state land since he took over in 2008.

He listed down Lim's "sins" as including selling state land other than those in Bayan Mutiara and Taman Manggis, hill slope development and the plan to go ahead with an undersea tunnel despite opposition from various quarters.

But Lim and his comrades have fought back , saying BN during its tenure as state government prior to 2008 had always been carrying out such activities.

Baljit also attacked the DAP secretary-general for permitting a higher building density on the island, and for the deteriorating investment in the state, adding that these were examples of Lim's poor style of managing the state.

NONE "What is there left to be sold? He has sold off hills, land and sea. It is not right or fair to blame Teng ( left ), when we see that the state BN chief has initiated many things when he was appointed our leader early this year," Baljit told reporters today.

He then listed down Teng's "initiatives", including proposing a free port status, an international offshore financial centre, an aquaculture industry and a comprehensive transport system that includes the monorail for Penang.

"Teng has been newly appointed as state BN leader and he cannot be blamed just like that. Where is the proof for all these accusations? They appear to be merely a way to divert attention from his (Lim's) internal party problems," Baljit added.