Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mohd Rashid Hasnon has denied the allegation of a coup brewing within the ranks of PKR's assemblypersons in the state.

This followed a statement by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng yesterday, suggesting that Penang state assembly PKR whip Ong Chin Wen is leading a coup against Rashid to wrest the deputy chief minister's post from him.

“I want to say this is absolutely not true.

“I'm with the leadership and PKR assemblypersons in Penang in standing together to uphold reformasi and change the agenda that has become a source of hope to the people of Penang.

“Penang PKR and I believe this and related issues can be resolved amicably by the Pakatan Harapan leadership in the spirit and framework of the Pakatan Harapan Common Policies,” said Rashid in a brief statement today.

Recently, five PKR assemblypersons had abstained in an Umno-backed motion in the state legislative assembly calling for more transparency and accountability in the sea reclamation projects in the state.

Lim had previously told PKR to "carefully assess" the abstentions, saying that it gave the impression they stood with Umno .

Later, in hinting of a PKR internal coup, Lim said he had to intervene in PKR's "family problems" to keep it from spilling over and affecting the administration of the state.

“ We cannot have two tigers on the same mountain - one Rashid, the other Ong. I am with tiger Rashid, not Ong,” he said yesterday.