A comical war of words has erupted between Gerakan and the DAP-led Penang government over the organising of the annual Chinese New Year celebrations in the state.

Gerakan state chairman Teng Chang Yeow said the street party - usually held in George Town - was organised by the Clan Association Youth Committee (CAYC) in Penang for the last 15 years.

This year, however, the state government “snatched” the opportunity from CAYC and co-organised the event with the Penang Chinese Clan Council, Penang Island City Council, Global Tourism and George Town World Heritage Incorporated, Teng said.

Teng said it was Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik who announced the event this year, and described him as a “bandit” who snatched the event from CAYC.

Teng ( photo ) also jested that the opening ceremony of the event on Sunday at about 5.15pm was marred by a heavy downpour, indicating that “even the sky cannot tolerate such snatching”.

“I made the remark at my party’s state open house at about 7pm. At the time, the rain had stopped, and I said that Gerakan did not snatch anything from anyone during our tenure as state government, so we were spared the rain,” he told Malaysiakini .

The Chinese language dailies, however, quoted Teng as saying that the downpour was a “punishment” for those who snatched the event from the people.

“I did not say they were punished. I merely said we in Gerakan were spared the rain as the downpour ended when we started our open house,” the former Penang executive councillor explained.

His cheeky remarks irked the Tanjong MP, who blasted Teng for acting like “a rod of God”, who can predict heavy rain.

“It is better for Teng to become a fortune teller, instead of being a politician since you can predict rain,” Ng had reportedly said as quoted in the Chinese media.

Asked to comment on Ng’s remark, Teng said: “I do not want to comment on a bandit."

Being chided by Ng ( photo ) did not stop Teng from further jesting that he attended the Jade Emperor Cultural show at the Chew Jetty in Weld Quay last night when the weather was just fine.

“But after I left at 9pm, it started to drizzle, people are now saying I am really like God who can predict when the rain falls,” said Teng, who is former Padang Kota assemblyperson.

This is not the first time that Ng or the state government had come in conflict with a clan.

Before the Chinese New Year celebration which fell on Feb 8, the Chew Jetty Clan was upset with the state government for organising a cultural event at the same venue where they were holding the Jade Emperor celebrations.

The matter came to a close after both parties agreed to the two events, where the state government sponsored the performances in the Jade Emperor celebrations.