‘Someone’ treating Penang like it’s their dad’s

BUTTERWORTH, July 26 — A former DAP assemblyman who was dropped as a candidate in the coming state election claims that “someone” is treating Penang like their personal property.

Former Bagan Dalam assemblyman M Satees likened that “someone” to an emperor, and claimed the person was given full rights to decide on DAP’s candidates for the polls.

“They say (the reason several former assemblymen were dropped is for) renewal, new blood and what not. The real reason is one person wants to control Penang.

“Even the state DAP has no say at all. All Penangites know it is one man’s decision. Someone is treating Penang like it is his father’s property,” he told reporters here today.

Yesterday, DAP announced 19 candidates for the election, with seven former assemblymen dropped, including five executive councillors in the caretaker state government.

Satees claimed that except for one former assemblyman dropping out for health reasons, he and the five others were not fielded as they were not in the same camp as the “emperor”.

He also claimed they were dropped for being outspoken in supporting incumbent chief minister Chow Kon Yeow.

“That is the price we are paying to support a good man,” he said.

DAP also dropped deputy chief minister P Ramasamy and executive councillors Phee Boon Poh, Chong Eng, Yeoh Soon Hin and Soon Lip Chee for the state election.

Former Pulau Tikus assemblyman Chris Lee decided to opt out for medical reasons.

Satees defended his performance as an assemblyman, saying he was active on the ground and took part in many important debates in the state assembly.

A close aide to Ramasamy, he also said he was not aware of claims that Ramasamy had met Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin recently.

Satees said the bigger threat to Penang was not the “green wave” of support for PN, but the “emperor” himself.

He also said he had no plans to meet Muhyiddin, but was willing to “work with anyone with Penang’s interests at heart”.

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