MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon today waded into Lim Guan Eng’s appeal to the federal government for assistance in Penang’s devastating floods, stating that the chief minister was not able to overcome the problem despite his “deity-like” status.
“We saw Lim Guan Eng made a video in the early hours appealing for assistance from the federal government.
“(Despite being) ‘deity-like’…he is not as powerful as he claims to be in solving the flood problem.
“Therefore, don’t fight the heavens, even if you’re a deity,” he said during the 64th MCA annual general assembly at the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.
Chong’s comment elicited laughs and applause from the floor.
Chong appeared to be referring to Lim’s nickname “tokong” (deity), which was first coined by his then disgruntled deputy chief minister Mansor Othman in 2012.
Mansor had complained about Lim being arrogant due to his “tokong” status in the Chinese community. He later claimed the reference was a compliment.
Early this morning, Lim, clad in a yellow raincoat, said he had contacted Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at 3.30am to request for the Malaysian Armed Forces to be deployed for flood relief efforts.
Lim had described the flooding as unprecedented. The Penang Water Supply Corporation said the rainfall yesterday, at 315mm, was the highest recorded in the state’s history.
Tongue-in-cheek comment aside, Chong said MCA will do its part to help Penang.
“Even though Lim always slams us on Chinese education, we – MCA Youth and MCA – will go to Penang to help Penangites,” he said.
Chong, who is also deputy education minister, said the government is in the process of identifying which schools in Penang will not be able to hold the SPM examination, which begins tomorrow.
“We will inform the students as soon as possible to prepare a new test venue,” he said.
Meanwhile, MCA Wanita chief Chew Mei Fun (photo) said her party will also mobilise its disaster relief squad to assist in Penang.
“Our comrades who stay in nearby states, we want to send our volunteers to bring the blue wave back.
“Let MCA help Lim, let us help Penangites,” she said.
Chew also said Penang under Lim had not seen good development, but instead a series of disasters, referring to the Tanjung Bungah landslide last month which claimed 11 lives.
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