Lim Guan Eng: The first Chinese deputy prime minister?
KUALA LUMPUR: It is not Lim Guan Eng for Prime Minister. It is about Guan Eng as the first Chinese Deputy Prime Minister.
That was the explanation given by DAP Negeri Sembilan chairman Anthony Loke Siew Fook when asked about some reports quoting him of promoting the idea that Guan Eng should be the Prime Minister if the opposition took over Putrajaya.
Loke confirmed that he had publicly expressed his fervent hope that Guan Eng, who is Penang Chief Minister, would become the first Chinese deputy prime minister.
"I never said Guan Eng should be the prime minister," Loke explained. "What I actually said was I hope to see him to be the first Chinese deputy prime minister."
Loke was widely criticised by several bloggers based on the report that he wanted Guan Eng to be Prime Minister.
When contacted, Loke verified with The Mole that his statement had been wrongly translated by Utusan Malaysia (which appeared on 15 Sept) based on an earlier report in the Nanyang Siang Pau newspaper (12 Sept). That had given rise to the confusion.
"They (Utusan Malaysia) published my statement without verifying. Worse still, they translated it wrongly. They should get a new translator," he said.
When asked what had prompted him to make such a statement in the first place, Loke said he was criticising the Malaysian Chinese Association's (MCA) stand on cabinet posts, which is something that DAP would be willing to take if they form the government.
Guan Eng's political secretary, Zairil Khir Johari, informed The Mole there was no need for comments in regards to this issue as the 'prime minister' statement had never been made, and the original article had been mistranslated.
The Facebook page supporting Lim Guan Eng as prime minister.Last month, Guan Eng dismissed claims of promoting the idea of him becoming the first Chinese prime minister, following the creation of a Facebook page, '1M Malaysians Support Lim Guan Eng to be Prime Minister of Malaysia.'
He reportedly accused MCA and Utusan Malaysia of launching attacks on him following the matter.
MCA Central Committee member Loh Seng Kok asked Guan Eng to respond to Loke's statement.
"If Guan Eng denies this, then Anthony Loke is only shooting his mouth off in order to gain votes, but if it is true, then I would like to see how Guan Eng adjusts himself to this situation," said Loh, referring to PAS secretary general Mustafa Ali's assurance to PAS that the PM and DPM would be a Malay muslim should Pakatan Rakyat take over.