The relationship between the two top Teng's in Penang - Teng Chang Yeow and Dr Teng Hock Nan - is very simple, despite the former saying he was the only "captain, general and commander" in Penang.

Chang Yeow is state BN chief, while Hock Nan is Penang Gerakan chief.

Hock Nan, in saying this, also publicly denied that the state BN chief's statement to a Chinese daily last week was an issue.

NONE Hock Nan, a former state executive councillor, said what is more important than his relationship with Chang Yeow ( left ), is that the party and coalition ensure that all partners are able to work together.

This good working relationship, said Hock Nan, was necessary to ensure that Gerakan and BN - which performed dismally in the 2008 general election - were victorious this time.

In the 2008 polls, Gerakan lost all of its parliamentary and state seats in Penang, while only 11 Umno assemblypersons made it to the Dewan Negeri.

Malaysia is expected to see its 13th polls soon, the earliest being end of the year, and the latest, by next April.

'One commander'

Chang Yeow in his Facebook page on Oct 17 wrote: "There can be only one captain, one general and one commander in Penang Gerakan and BN.

"That person is ME! Sorry, those who don't like it, I can't help it. That is how I see myself in this position!" 

To this Hock Nan responded: "We have only one enemy and we should not let other small issues (like what Chang Yeow said) to become a concern."

He was speaking at a press conference in the state BN operations centre in Penang today.

"This enemy - Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng - has done so much to discredit Penangites. He has caused long term destruction, he is very damaging to Penang," Teng added.

Chang Yeow told Malaysiakini that he was asked on how he dealt with the different factions in Gerakan and various partners in BN - MCA, Umno and People's Progressive Party.

Even before the last polls, the two Tengs' relationship appeared shaky due to different leadership styles - the senior leader is more cautious while the younger Chang Yeow admits to being sometimes "brash, undemocratic and unreasonable".

NONE The leadership of Chang Yeow, the Gerakan secretary-general, also differs sharply from the style of former state BN chief and former chief minister Koh Tsu Koon ( right ), who is considered "slow in making decisions".

"We grew up in different environments. We are in different situations politically. Different times need a different kinds of leadership. I am now in war time," Chang Yeow had said.

"When he (Koh) was chairperson, he was in peaceful times. In such times, he can drag and drag and try to please everybody.

"In wartime, you cannot please everybody, you can only please the majority."

Meanwhile, Hock Nan, the former Pulau Tikus assemblyperson, said whoever held the Penang Gerakan party was not a major concern.

He added that in the past, Koh was the state BN chief, and that Chang Yeow remains the state Gerakan vice-chief.

"All these things are unimportant. What is important is that we work together as a team".