In a rare move today, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng expressed his sympathy for state BN chief Teng Chang Yeow, who is said to have received a threat by text message from Malay rights group Perkasa.

NONE "I don't know how far it is true (that he has been threatened by Perkasa) but if it is true, I pity him. He feels threatened by a mere SMS," Lim ( left ) told a press conference.

"When Perkasa went to my house and conducted a mock funeral , when they burned photographs of me, kicked and punched the glass door of the state administrative building in Komtar... those were real threats," Lim added.

In the text message sent to Teng yesterday, Perkasa warned that it may not back Gerakan candidates in the coming general election.

" U think Gerakan candidate can win without Malay Perkasa voters? Perkasa members can stay at home where Gerakan contest. No problem. Tq. Sec Gen Perkasa ," were the exact words in the SMS sent to Teng.

Teng showed reporters the message, saying that it was a response from Perkasa to his remarks in Malaysiakini on Sunday, in which he said he would not have attended a rally at Esplanade if he had known that Perkasa was the organiser.

15,000 people mobilised

State Perkasa vice-chairperson Mohd Said Abdul Halim told reporters at the event that the group had mobilised about 15,000 people, and provided food and entertainment.

About 60 buses were organised to ferry supporters from all over the island and mainland to attend the anti-Pakatan Rakyat rally at the Speaker's Square at the Esplanade.

However, Penang Umno deputy chief Musa Sheikh Fadzir claimed to have mooted the programme and told the crowd that no one could claim to be organiser of the event as it had been done for the people.

NONE Displaying the message on his mobile phone yesterday, Teng ( right ) said he did not respond to the SMS and that he could not do anything if Perkasa members showed up at BN-organised events.

Teng's involvement earned him brickbats from DAP, which even questioned his ‘underground' links to those who mobilised people to attend the three-hour event.

Lim also urged Teng to "simply come clean on Gerakan's association with Perkasa".

"Perkasa and Gerakan are bedfellows. Up to now, I do not know why Teng is afraid of admitting their secret affair, which is already an open secret," Lim said.

"He should be bold enough, be a gentleman and admit that Perkasa is Gerakan and Gerakan is Perkasa. By refusing to do so, he is not a gentleman."