Saturday, April 26, 2008

Penang CM to continue picking competent people to serve state - The Star

PENANG: April 26, 2008 By NIK KHUSAIRI IBRAHIM

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has given a personal guarantee on his policies of appointing Barisan Nasional members to positions in the state in an effort to placate his own party members.

He said he would continue with the policy to give opportunity to anyone with good credentials and capability to serve the state, in line with his competency, accountability and transparency (CAT) approach.

“I will not run away from taking responsibility over the decisions that I have made.

“I am confident the party (DAP) will support my decision. We want to implement the CAT approach, and we must start somewhere,” said Lim who is also DAP secretary-general.

Lim said this in response to mixed reaction from DAP leaders over the appointment of former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Datuk Lee Kah Choon as InvestPenang executive chairman and director of the Penang Development Corporation.

Among those who opposed the move was DAP chairman Karpal Singh.

“We will discuss during a meeting with DAP MPs on Sunday. I will talk about the policy and spirit of good governance. I hope to get them to agree that we should adopt the new approach,” he said.

Lim said even Barisan Nasional had appointed then DAP secretary-general and former Kota Melaka MP Kerk Kim Hock as National Unity Advisory Panel member in 2004.

“When Kerk accepted the post, the party did not demand his resignation. In fact, I even congratulated him,” he added.

Lim, however, acknowledged that the posts offered to Lee were much higher.

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