Of sore losers and sportsmanship

I attended the swearing in ceremony of the new CM and the state exco line-up. It is not everyday that we get a new CM and a brand new exco line-up so might as well check it out, though I was also there on official duty.

I have to say that the BN reps are real spoilsports with the exception of the outgoing CM, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon. None of the 11 Umno fellas who retained their seats showed their face at either of the functions. Not even a single representative. Not a single peep.

Of course, I do not expect them to celebrate DAP and PKR taking over the state government but to snub the governor just because they are sore about BN losing the state to the Opposition parties? Well, they are snubbing the governor because the governor presides in these ceremonies. Just look at the previous terms when Koh was sworn in as CM and the BN excos were sworn in. At least an Opposition leader would attend the ceremony.

To even compound the fact that the Umno fellas are real sore losers with poor sportsmanship, they had the cheek to call for the government to withdraw federal funding for all the mega-projects in Penang, namely the NCER, MRT, PORR and the second bridge. They also wanted the federal government to remove RapidPenang and take the buses elsewhere, preferably states that are still under BN's ruling.

Now, I really do not mind about the PORR being scrapped. It is a total waste of government funds anyway so might as well scrap it. Besides, many groups are dead against it and we do not really need it. As for NCER, what is it to normal Penangites anyway? It is nothing but a nicely wrapped gift box with nothing inside. However, I do think they are being ridiculous wanting to cut off public transportation by scrapping the MRT project and wanting to remove RapidPenang.

Doesn't that mean they don't care about the people but just their pride and themselves? Oh, right. I forgot. They really do not care about the people at all. Period. It is all about their pride, their ketuanan and what they can get out of becoming elected reps.

This is indeed a far cry from the former Chief Minister. Sure, many people can say many bad things about him and his weakness in not being able to stand up to the Umno fellas, which admittedly, is true. Despite his bad points, he is indeed a gracious loser and a total absolute gentleman.

Why do I say that? Well, I have it on good authority that when he hand over to the new CM, he actually took the time to sit down with the new CM and teach him the steps of forming the state government! Koh even issued his final directive as the Penang CM to all the government department heads to give their full cooperation to the new CM. This showed that Koh, at the very least, have his heart in place and do have a modicum of concern for Penang. He may have lost but he does not become vengeful and definitely doesn't want the people to suffer just because they decided they had enough of him.

Now, it seems the Umno fellas will not sit still and let the new CM take hold of the reins in peace. They are at this very moment inciting hatred and racial sentiments amongst those who would listen to them, probably in hopes of creating racial riots and then pinning the blame on DAP and PKR.

It is my fervent hope that other Penangites would not be so easily influenced. You have voted for a new state government. They may be new and mostly inexperienced but they deserve a fair chance so why not just wait and see?