The heated exchange between NGO Penang Forum and Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy over a landslide which killed 11 people continued today.

In a statement, Ramasamy said Penang Forum should wait for the findings of an inquiry into the landslide at Tanjung Bungah last Saturday, before calling for a regime change.

"It is not that members of Penang Forum cannot ask for political change, but at least have the decency for the report of the commission to be made public," he said.

Penang Forum steering committee member Lim Mah Hui was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying that Penang assemblypersons should quit if they were not bothered to attend a dialogue session on the recent tragedy.

"You have to remind them to come but if they are not representing us... becoming an obstacle to us, then just get out!" Lim (photo) was quoted as saying.

The English daily also included a similar quote at the start of its article, which was followed by: “Remember, the general election is coming."

The quotes were attributed to residents and environmental groups.

Ramasamy, in turn, said that dialogues cannot be held at gunpoint and that Penang Forum should consider setting up a political party and work with BN if it wanted a regime change.

Lim accused the deputy chief minister of putting words in his mouth.

In his statement today, Ramasamy questioned the need for dialogue if the state government was already deemed guilty.

He also stressed that the state government was not shirking from its responsibilities.

"I don’t think that state government is hiding from its responsibility of uncovering the causes behind the environmental tragedy that took place in Tanjung Bungah last Saturday.

"The commission of inquiry will be given the mandate to investigate and come up with findings on what caused the disaster," Ramasamy said.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had announced, on the same day of the incident, that a State Commission of Inquiry would look into the landslide.

Pressure has been mounting for Lim to step down over the state government's alleged negligence in monitoring hillslope developments.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry said the affordable housing development where the landslide occurred was not approved, as there was no adequate buffer zone between the construction site and a nearby granite quarry, making it dangerous for future inhabitants.

However, Penang Island City Council mayor Maimunah Sharif said the project was approved by the Mineral and Geoscience Department, and that the developer had complied with the state's safety guidelines.