THE state government will pull out all the stops to ensure Penang is safe under Pakatan Harapan, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He gave this assurance when asked by host Hannah Yeoh, the Segambut MP, during an interview over DAP’s Facebook last night, brushing aside the claims by former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali that Penang would be a frontline state for Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the next general election.
“I think it is just a political rhetoric. Don’t expect much from Azmin Ali at this juncture. I think Penang has been the frontline state for many political parties. The DAP, way back in 1986, also saw Penang as a frontline state.
“It is nothing more than rhetoric. I think he is not talking so much about Penang as he channelled all his anger against one person and his family for occupying Permatang Pauh seat for almost 30 years.
“We will continue to do what we can to ensure that Penang is safe with Pakatan Harapan,” said Chow, 62, the second person to be interviewed by Yeoh after Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz. Yeoh herself was a former deputy minister of women, family and community development.
Azmin, a Senior Minister in the current PN government, made an open declaration on Saturday that PN would bring about changes in the country, beginning by winning over the voters in Permatang Pauh in Seberang Perai.
The man, who was one of the key players in the Sheraton Move that triggered the change of federal government, was, of course, directing his attack on his arch rival, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his family.
Permatang Pauh has since 1982 been Anwar’s stronghold and even when he did not contest as its MP, his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and later, his daughter, Nurul Izzah, stood in successfully.
Chow said he was saddened over the betrayal of some PH leaders in February that saw the collapse of the PH from governing the country.
Asked what has been his saddest moment in his political career over 30 years and how he coped and came out of the episode, Chow said he could not recollect a particular instance.
“But of course losing federal power just after 22 months is one sad occasion for me. I think after striving for over five decades, an opportunity to bring a change in Malaysia is an opportunity not to be missed.
“But then again, we have to recognise that we have lost it, and we have to move on.
“I came out of it by reassuring ourselves that we should move on. We can try very hard again to gain back federal power.
“There may be valuable lessons that we have learned from the 22 months and that made us wiser and stronger. We need to recognise our weaknesses and to take the necessary action to overcome and to gain back the rakyat’s confidence.
“We still have hope for the people of Malaysia and we must not let this hope vanish just because of the betrayal of some of our former colleagues.”
Chow said he believed the guilty verdict pronounced on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the 1MDB case showed that the support for PH was not wasted.
“Although we are not the government now, your votes will encourage us to continue to fight to win back federal government – not for ourselves but for the future of Malaysians.”
Asked by Yeoh whether he has any message to give to the caretaker government of Sabah under Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, Chow commended Shafie for making a decisive decision by dissolving the state assembly.
“If not, the other side would have gotten the state government of Sabah and this would be a betrayal of the mandate of the people.
“And I think with the dissolution, it’s the people who have to decide for themselves the type of government and the type of leaders that they want for their state.
“I wish that Shafie Apdal will be able to provide the leadership to Sabahans, that you (Shafie) represent their hope, you represent their interest and you want a better Sabah for Sabahans.
“Beyond that you can also play a significant role in national politics and we hope that you can also be successful in the coming Sabah snap election not too long from now.”