Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been accused of pressuring Penang to take in Rohingya refugees in a tit-for-tat move following BN's defeat at the Permatang Pauh by-election.

 

"I know you are bitter about losing in Permatang Pauh, but this is not the way," said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng during a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

 

Lim said it was wrong for Zahid to call the Penang government names as the latter was willing to cooperate on the issue.

 

"But when we offer our hand in cooperation... You turn around and bite us. What is this? This is very very immature," he said.

 

Yesterday, Zahid ( photo ) criticised the Penang government for rejecting the police's proposal to house Rohingya refugees in the state.

He went on to describe Penang as a loud rooster that only crowed but couldn't lay any eggs.

 

Zahid said DAP, which rules Penang, was being hypocritical because it had often claimed to be a champion of human rights.

 

Penang had rejected the proposal on grounds that Penang was already a temporary home for about 50,000 Rohingya refugees and the state was too densely populated.

 

Zahid was also the head of the BN campaign team during the Permatang Pauh by-election earlier this month.

 

'Not political issue'

The home minister reiterated his stance today, but said he wasn't trying to politicise the issue.

 

"Don't take my comments yesterday as political [...] this is not a political issue but a humanitarian one," he said at a press conference before Lim's.

 

He added the federal government's proposal is to house the boat people on federal land in Penang, not on state land.

 

Lim however questioned why Zahid had not said anything about Kedah's stance that it could not afford to house the Rohingyas.

 

He said Penang too, did not have resources to help the Rohingyas.

 

"I don't know what we can do when we don't have the resources. Even under the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP), Penang got nothing.

 

"We have no power. Immigration, army, navy are all with the federal government.

 

"Are you going to give us the powers of the immigration and navy? That's not going to happen, so don't be silly, don't play petty politics, be a responsible minister," he retorted.

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