Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s “sign from God” remark about the recent Penang floods is only meant as a caution against overdevelopment, according to Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong.

“I interpret this as: we have to take care of the environment and nature. So, if we don’t take care of the environment and nature, nature will have a reaction.

“(This is) not only in Penang, but anywhere in the world. So, we must always look after the environment and prevent overdevelopment,” Mah told a press conference today after Gerakan’s national delegates’ conference in Kuala Lumpur.

He was asked whether he condoned the statement from Zahid at the conference, when the deputy prime minister said that the floods that hit Penang last week were a “sign from God” that Penang is ripe for the taking.

“It is not impossible. It can be done. God smote those who thumped their chest claiming that Penang is free from floods.

"What happened is a sign from God that this is the best time for us to retake the Penang government,” Zahid had said.

The floods that hit Penang on Saturday last week left seven people dead.

Meanwhile, in the wrap-up speeches of the conference, Gerakan vice-president Dominic Lau told DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng not to play the victim card, but thank the Registrar of Societies instead.

Referring to the DAP re-election that is being held in Shah Alam today, he claimed that it has enabled Lim to stay on in his post.

He added that if DAP felt that the RoS was wrong to order the party to conduct a re-election for the second time, then it should take legal action against them.

“They say they are holding the re-election under protest. But if you are protesting, it means you feel that you are right. If you are right, there is no need to comply (with the RoS orders).

“Just take legal action against the RoS. Won’t that be better? Isn’t that your style anyway?” he said.