The obscure but newly-minted Penang Front Party's plan to have a casino on the island has been smacked by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Lim said the party, with Umno's Padang Besar MP Zahidi Zainul Abidin as an adviser and supported by some 80 NGOs, has suggested a proposal which is uncalled for.

"Is this a new policy by Umno, to have casinos in the state?" Lim asked at a press conference in Komtar today.

"Do they want Penang to be like Macau? This is not our policy, " Lim added.

Lim was referring to a report in a Malay language daily which claimed that the new party, which has obtained approval of the Registrar of Societies, planned to apply for a licence from the federal government to run a casino.

Quoting the party's pro-tem chairperson Lee Poh Kong, the daily said the plan was to boost the tourism industry in Penang.

The new BN-friendly party also has plans to field 25 candidates in DAP seats, saying it is confident of putting up a challenge to the Penang ruling party.

Meanwhile, Lim announced that two historical sites - the 200-year-old Penang Free School and 300-year-old Batu Uban mosque - will be gazetted as heritage sites under the National Heritage Act 2005.

"The two sites are rich in history and have contributed much to the state's identity and heritage value," Lim said.

"It is now up now up to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Heritage under Nazri Aziz to approve our application," he added.

Lim has written the minister a letter on Aug 30, a copy of which was distributed to the media.

On Sept 1, the ministry responded by saying it has directed the application to the National Heritage Department.

Penang Free School, which will celebrate its 200th year anniversary on Oct 21, was founded by Rev Robert Sparke Hutchings in 1816.

It was formerly run at Lebuh Farquhar and later relocated to Jalan Masjid Negeri.

The Batu Uban mosque, where the earliest Malay settlement was founded in 1734, was established by Mohamad Saleh or better known as Nakhoda Nan Intan.

In the same press conference, Lim congratulated former Penang journalist K Gurunathan for his election as mayor of Kapiti Coast in Wellington, New Zealand.

Describing the achievement as a remarkable feat, Lim added that "Gurunathan's ability proved he had made the state and country proud abroad, by beating five others, including one term incumbent Ross Church to become the mayor".