“The people don’t need to be taught to love Penang by a chief minister who comes from Malacca,” said Penang Umno chief Zainal Abidin Osman. “He came here to work, but we locals always want the best for Penang.”

He was referring to Lim’s proposal for an “I Love Penang” campaign in the wake of Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Mansor’s suggestion that the state be turned into a federal territory.

Speaking to FMT, Zainal said it wouldn’t be easy to take up Tengku Adnan’s suggestion because there were constitutional constraints.

“We will meet with Tengku Adnan the soonest possible to ask him to explain what he meant,” he said. “His intention may be good. Maybe he has some ideas for Penang’s development.

“So far, all we know about it is what the media has reported. After we speak to him, we will share everything with BN component parties.”

Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhammad Farid Saad said BN had loved Penang since independence and Lim should have started doing so “long ago”.

“He has been chief minister for eight years and you can see non-governmental organisations rising up to object to his administration,” he said, referring to criticism of the state government over the impact of rapid development on the natural environment.

Farid rejected DAP strongman Lim Kit Siang’s allegation that Barisan Nasional and Umno had resorted to deception in their attempt to regain voter support in Penang.

Yesterday, Lim said Tengku Adnan, in proposing federal rule for Penang, was admitting that Barisan Nasional had no hope of winning back non-Malay support and was losing Malay support because Penang folk were no longer gullible enough to believe the “lies and hatred” spread by BN and Umno.