Dr Teng Hock Nan starts pointing fingers instead of giving answers

So, one of the Chief Ministership hopefuls from Gerakan Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan has broken this deafening silence to answer allegations thrown by current Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

But, instead of giving legit answers and explanations, he went on a diatribe of mud-slinging and calling Lim Guan Eng names from naive to ignorant to playing politics. Do I sense some sour grapes because someone is sitting in the very post he was coveting during the general election?

It has been obvious that the physician-turned-politician Dr Teng Hock Nan has this burning desire to take over from Koh Tsu Koon the very moment KTK announced that he will no longer contest for a state seat. I even heard how his missus was all excited over it, went all out to equip her wardrobe with more official clothing and even took up etiquette classes to be sure that she knows how to act like a CM's wife...too bad, it all went down the drain la, because she, just like the arrogant Dr Teng and other BN fellars, had simply assumed it is a sure win for BN in the general election.

But I digress.

Let's get back to the name-calling. It all started when Dr Teng opened his big mouth to give some stupid explanation about the PGCC project. He had claimed that the formulation of the structure plan was according to procedure and that the council had not approved the planning permission for PGCC.

Guan Eng had talked about the controversial PGCC project quite a few times prior to this. So in response to Dr Teng, Guan Eng had questioned the previous government (on Sunday) on how 104ha of prime land was converted from open ground and recreation to new development under the Penang island structural plan which was gazetted in June 2007. The land, where the Penang Turf club is now, was earmarked for PGCC's mammoth project.

These are valid questions. He just want some answers. After all, this could be one of the biggest land impropriety in Penang.

So, what was the response?

A deafening silence for a day or two. Then on Wednesday (which means today's papers) Dr Teng comes out fully double-barreled armed. Not to explain his innocence (HAH!), not to explain how it could have happened (double HAH!! If he had not bothered to explain to the people on other issues when he was in the state government, fat chance he will start doing it now!) and certainly not to prove that there was no such impropriety.

Instead, he had called Guan Eng naive, ignorant and accused him of playing politics. His words (according to The Star online anyway):

“I am saying he is naive because all the questions he has been asking can be easily obtained because he has access to all the information,

“I do not know whether to call him Chief Minister or just Lim Guan Eng,”

Err, Dr Teng ah. Are you sure the so-called information still there ah? Sure, there are documentation to show that the land had been converted but Guan Eng's question was HOW THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT CONVERT A PUBLIC SPACE AND RECREATION LAND TO NEW DEVELOPMENT???

Let me put it in layman's term for you since you obviously do not understand. The Chief Minister wants to know why a public space and recreation land could be converted to new development. Meaning, the land is meant for recreation and public space. Recreation and public space usually means a park or a place for the people to relax. A land marked for this usually means no big huge blocks of residential condos are allowed to be built on it. A land marked for this means it is suppose to stay a recreational place for the public.

So, to convert this huge piece of land (and the last few of such large spaces earmarked for recreation and public spaces) to turn it into 'new development' is akin to tearing down the only children's playground in a large housing estate so that you could build luxurious bungalows for the filthy rich.

By converting this land, it means the previous government is saying out loud and clear 'To hell with sustainable development and to hell with recreation. To hell with the people's needs. All we want is to help Umno cronies to become richer and if it means chopping down all the trees on the island to make way for luxurious condos for the rich, so be it'

Now, do you understand Dr Teng?

So, back at you. Don't be naive, don't be ignorant and don't blardy play politics!

By the way, I think Guan Eng has been a real gentleman about this coz when asked to response to the name-calling he had said he regretted that Dr Teng has to resort to personal attacks. There was no attack in response. Apparently, Guan Eng will give his lengthy reply to Dr Teng today. So, keep your eyes peeled for it.