PETALING JAYA: Penang Gerakan’s Teng Chang Yeow has lashed out at Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for calling on Barisan Nasional component parties to follow in Umno’s footsteps to recapture Penang.
Teng, who is also Penang BN chairman, responded with heavy sarcasm to Zahid’s remark at the Balik Pulau Umno division delegates’ meeting.
“There is no denial that Umno has better election machinery. Their machinery is so good that they are unable to win back Kelantan and Selangor,” Teng said in a statement today.
“Umno’s machinery, under Zahid himself, as co-director of operations for the Permatang Pauh by-election, did not win the Permatang Pauh by election!”
Teng said that BN had lost power in Penang not because of machinery or unity but because of Umno itself.
“This is a well-known fact. If we still fail to understand this fact, we will continue to fail!” he said. “There is no reason to reopen old wounds. It is time to rectify and strengthen our cooperation.”
Zahid had urged Gerakan and MCA to adopt Umno’s culture and machinery to ensure Penang’s return to BN. “Umno is willing to help all component parties to recapture Penang. Umno is not stingy in sharing the party’s knowledge, he said. “All the component parties have to do is to open their doors to accept Umno’s help. They cannot continue to be arrogant”, he was quoted as saying.