CHIEF Minister Chow Kon Yeow hit back at Gerakan president Dominic Lau for calling the voters to vote in only ‘anak Pulau Pinang’ to lead the state once again.
Lau made the call during his speech at the launch of the recently concluded Perikatan Nasional Election Machinery Convention in Penang, saying that the current Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and his predecessor Lim Guan Eng were both not born in Penang.
Lim, who was born in Melaka, became the Chief Minister of Penang for two terms from 2008 to 2018, while Chow, who was born in Selangor, then succeeded Lim in 2018 as the chief minister.
Lau said previous chief ministers – Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu and Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon (both from Gerakan) were Penang-born.
When asked by a reporter about Lau’s views, Chow said he could not choose his parents or where he was born, but he could choose to live and serve where he wanted in Malaysia.
“After I came for my tertiary education at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang in 1980, I decided to live in Penang and serve the state of Penang.
“With the support from the people of Penang, I am now holding the highest post politically in the state because the people here want me to lead the state.
“I have the freedom to decide where to live and serve, but I have no power to choose where to be born.
“I believe in a democratic process. I choose to serve in Penang and that is the most important thing,” Chow stressed.
Regarding a claim made by PN chairman and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that PN is confident of securing 20 out of the 40 state seats in the coming election, Chow said Muhyiddin did not explain the rationale behind his thinking.