Gerakan vice-president Dominic Lau has offered to be the middleman in a dispute between Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng and Kepong MP Dr Tan Seng Giaw with regards to the state’s disappearing greenery.

Lau expressed surprise that Tan and Lim, being DAP leaders, were having difficulties contacting each other.

“A few days ago, Lim reportedly said he could not reach Tan. I am surprised. Both have been sitting members of parliament for the past six months.

“Couldn’t they have met? Or do DAP leaders not have meetings together?” he asked in a press conference at Gerakan’s Kuala Lumpur headquarters today.

Lau volunteered himself to link up both DAP leaders.

“If there is a need, (Lim) could contact Tan through me, because we (Tan and I) always meet each other in functions. We are good friends despite having different political stances.”

However, he quipped he had never been in contact with Lim, who is DAP secretary-general.

“Perhaps I need to give it a try,” he said. 

Lau also appreciated Tan's complaint, saying the DAP veteran’s statement had vindicated Gerakan's criticisms about overdevelopment in Penang.

“I wish to thank Tan because he has proved our statement is correct...this means the ‘Green Penang’ dream has vanished.”

On the difference between Gerakan and Pakatan Harapan state government’s environmental policies, Lau said then-Gerakan chief minister Koh Tsu Koon had gazetted 1,711 hectares of land as forest reserves.

This included the 1266-hectare Teluk Bahang Penang National Park, and the 445-hectare Bukit Panchor State Park.

In contrast, the Pakatan Harapan state government had not gazetted a single forest reserve, claimed Lau.

He also slammed the incumbent state government for not gazetting Pulau Jerejak as a state park as had been promised in 2009 by state exco Phee Boon Poh.

On Sunday, Tan voiced his complaints about overdevelopment in Penang on his Facebook page in four languages including Jawi.

"Going around Penang island today, we find the coast is changing, and Balik Pulau is less green.

"The population of 850,000 require houses and employment. The priority is to preserve the forest and the green," he said.

In response, Lim claimed he had not been able to contact Tan, and expressed his wish to deal with the issue internally.

Tan however dismissed Lim's claim, saying he is easily contactable.