Lim added that Penang’s 10 Umno assemblypersons were not invited to today’s event as they had never turned up for any state government function before.
He was responding to state opposition leader Jahara Hamid, who said Umno reps had not attended today’s pledge session with Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad because they were not invited.
“We have asked them to attend state events before, but they have refused so many times,” Lim said in a press conference at Komtar.
He said Jahara had also been asked to sit in committees but that she had refused to do so.
“That is why we have given up writing to them (Umno assemblypersons),” he said.
“Even the RM40,000 opposition allocation for assemblymen, they do not want to take. This is a very uncooperative and hostile opposition.
“Maybe they have a lot of money. Anyway, since in the past they repeatedly turned down our invites, we did not invite them this time.”
Lim said since Umno appeared interested in signing up for the IBR+10, he would tell state speaker Law Choo Kiang to hold a special session at the state assembly soon.
In an immediate response, however, Jahara said Penang Umno reps would hold an IBR session of their own.
She said this morning’s pledge session appeared to be a “Pakatan” event, and that the state government clearly had no intentions of inviting them.
“Since they have ostracised us and made all sorts of accusations, we will have our own (pledge session).
“The pledge is based on principles,” she added. “There is no reason why they should ostracise us.
“With all the state government leaders attending, minus the Umno reps, it has become a Pakatan thing. They are skewed in every angle.”
She added that they would not take the RM40,000 allocation for opposition reps as it was a matter of “principle”.
“After all, the IBR pledge is about upholding integrity and principles, isn’t it?”
She also claimed that Umno reps had enough allocations from the federal government.
Anti-graft pledge: MACC chief ‘genuinely concerned’ about Penang