Former CM should 'behave like an elder statesman'

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang DAP yesterday told former chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to not meddle in state government matters and to behave in an "ethical" manner.

Bukit Bendera member of parliament Liew Chin Tong, policy adviser to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, also insinuated that Koh may be trying to sabotage the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

In a stinging attack, he accused Koh of going against the interests of Penangites and called on the latter to "behave like an elder statesman".

Liew said Koh had repeatedly announced outdated information about pending investment plans of multinational companies to prove his point that his Barisan Nasional state government had been responsible for courting investments.

"In doing so is he trying to prove a point or is he simply trying to sabotage the current state government?" he said.

Liew went on to question Koh on why he was going against the interests of Penangites by sabotaging potential investment plans by multinationals.

He said it was unethical for Koh to preempt potential investment announcements as it was against international best practices.

"It is the right of an investing multinational company to decide how to announce their investments in a foreign country.

"Much as we like to leave Koh alone and accord him the respect befitting an elder statesman who has 'retired', his actions so far have fallen short of such a stature," Liew said yesterday.

He added that it went without saying that many investment plans were proposed during Koh's tenure and that people were aware that the former chief minister had sat on many proposals.

"It is, therefore, inconsequential whether it is Koh or Lim who received an investment proposal.

"It is the closure of the deal that matters," he said, adding that investors everywhere looked for visionary, dynamic leadership and decisiveness in decision-making before pumping resources into a foreign land.

Liew said it was these qualities in the new chief minister which endeared him to investors and resulted in the quick conclusion of several investment deals. - NST