Wat-er mess in DAP? Penang’s tale of two chief ministers
Another Malaysian drama involving a current office holder and his predecessor
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Hot off the press today:
Chow Kon Yeow begins his second term as Penang’s CM, but under pressure
What to make of Malaysia’s love for skyscrapers
Why prey for Harimau Malaya (the tiger, not football team, of course)
“Don’t say it’s people’s responsibility to store water. It is the government’s responsibility to give [them] water”. That was a vexed Lim Guan Eng, with arms flailing, at a closed-door meeting recently between Penang’s water corporation and state assemblymen.
Malaysia’s second-richest state is enduring its severest water cut in recent times and things are reaching a fever pitch with many Penang residents seeking respite outside the state. This columnist’s family members, for instance, are making the pilgrimage south to the capital Kuala Lumpur for a much-needed shower.
But the cut, coupled with Guan Eng’s emotive speech, are just one of a series of events that point to tensions surrounding Chow Kon Yeow’s second term as Penang chief minister. While Guan Eng’s supporters are quick to say that the engagement was a sign of a healthy democracy where backbenchers provided crucial feedback, Chow’s supporters are not buying it.