Penang BN leaders are denying that Umno is out to seize the state BN chief post from Penang Gerakan chairperson Teng Chang Yeow.

Teng, when met in Tasek Gelugor on Sunday, dismissed the issue, saying, “I do not know, ask the veteran leader from Gerakan who said so."

He was referring to the anonymous Gerakan veteran leader quoted in an online news portal as saying that Umno wants to take over the state BN chief post from Gerakan as the party is weak.

Meanwhile, Penang Umno liaison chief Zainal Abidin Osman denied that the party's state level liaison committee had ever discussed taking over the post from Teng.

He said the state BN chief post in a state governed by the opposition – Pakatan Harapan – does not have political or administrative power.

“There is also nothing special about it except (those holding the post must be) trustworthy. The task and duties are heavy; we never fought for the post,” said Zainal, who is also Penang federal action liaison committee chairperson.

“We will continue to lend our cooperation and support for Teng as the state BN chief and with other component parties to work to restore the people’s confidence in BN.”

He added that Penang Umno's relationship with other component parties in BN is “close and good, and we complement one another”.

“The cooperation between the component parties in Penang BN is at a good level,” said Zainal

“Penang Umno has never proposed or lobbied Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to take over the post of state BN chairperson in Penang.

“The appointment of the state BN chief is the prerogative of the BN national chairman, who is Najib himself,” Zainal said.

The Penang chapter of Gerakan is currently facing an internal crisis following the resignation of national deputy secretary Dr Thor Teong Gee.

Thor cited “personal attacks in public” over his qualification to be the Sungai Pinang candidate for the coming general election, as the reason for his resignation from all party posts in Gerakan.

Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong will be in Penang to iron out the creases in the state liaison committee and to find a solution to the internal squabble ahead of the coming GE14.

Meanwhile, senior Gerakan party leaders like its Nibong Tebal secretary Dr Lim Boon Han have called on Mah to view seriously the incompetency of the state leadership in Penang.

In a press statement – before a gag order was slapped on Gerakan leaders on Saturday – Lim said “the party’s central leadership must look into the practices of 'cronyism and policy' which exclude dissenting members who disagreed with the views of the present Penang leaders".