DAP heavyweights Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh also lost their seats in elections in Penang before, but their party did not have a "problem" with this, said Batu Kawan Umno chief Mohd Noor Ahmad.

Mohd Noor was responding to his deputy Khairuddin Abu Hassan ( right ) who had criticised the appointment of those defeated in the general election as Penang Umno and BN chiefs.

He also flayed Khairuddin for not staying in the state and being "out of touch" with developments there.

 

"It is very disheartening that Khairuddin opted to use a pro-opposition portal to voice his criticisms against the party leadership and not through available channels within the party," Mohd Noor said, referring to Malaysiakini .

In an interview with the news portal, Khairuddin criticised the appointment of Zainal Abidin Osman, who lost in his bid for the Nibong Tebal parliamentary seat, as the state Umno chief.

He also threw brickbats at the appointment of Gerakan's Teng Chang Yeow ( left ), who lost the Bukit Tengah state seat in the election, as Penang BN chief.

"About the appointment of Teng as the state BN chief, Khairuddin does not realise that no Gerakan leader won in the state in the last two elections," Mohd Noor said .

"Kit Siang and Karpal also lost their seats before and it was not an issue for their party. What is important is that work continues for the next general election," he added.

Khairuddin had also described the state Umno leaders as "sleeping", but Mohd Noor said that allegation was "off the mark".

Instead, Mohd Noor argued, Zainal's performance as the state Umno chief is lauded by all division leaders in Penang.

"Firstly, Zainal ( right ) contested in Nibong Tebal where there were more non-Malay voters than Malay voters. He obtained the support of 75 percent of Malay voters there," he said.

"Secondly, under his leadership, Penang Umno has maintained its GE12 achievement in GE13.

"The amount of seats won was similar to the amount of seats we won in the previous election under the leadership of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi," he added.