Honeymoon over for the Lims

The all spectacled Lim family

Thank gawd it is only a bruise. The Orthopaedic suggested rest and gave voltaren gel for heeling.

Still no honeymoon. Need to get the pain away. So unnatural to sit on a cushion. And, this relatively short posting is about honeymoon.

It was 2009. DAP tookover Penang in 2008. Thanks to Pak Lah. Or these days, it is also said as thanks to Tun Mahathir.

Pak Lah had vacated the premiership and we were beginning to be comfortable socialising within the UMNO circle again. In one event, we came across a Gerakan leader. No more now but there was something he said that rings a bell today.

The Gerakan leader studied in the US. We had a common friend from the student activism days abroad. That became the opening line to start a conversation. When we raised about Penang, he stopped it and invited us over to his office for a chat. He introduced his assistance, Johan.

However, we never managed to get the appointment to see him.

His assistance was giving one lame excuse after another. He kept delaying it for after one scheduled political event after another or postphoned due to certain development till he was no more a leader in Gerakan.

Basically, he was not interested to meet and we knew it but we still persisted to call. Since then, at any occasion where the Gerakan leader is around, we would stalk him.

Till one occasion, we approached him to tell him of the death of our common friend. Then we asked him point blank why is he evasive. That was when he said nothing could be done on Lim Guan Eng till his honeymoon is over.

True enough.

There are piles of materials on the wrongdoings of Guan Eng and DAP government in Penang but any expose done had no impact on him. Issues raised against him or his family hardly raised an eyelid. It just shows when you are on top, you can do no wrong. 

Guan Eng became so arrogant that he could literally do anything. Institute any policy he wish. Make any decisions. He could even threaten any attempt by the press to question him.

Generally, the Chinese reporters were both protective and scared of hm. Nevertheless, there are attempts to put him in a spot.

But, he was so cocksure of his political support that he could just brush aside the issues raised by ridiculing the particular press, usually Utusan Malaysia or turn it around with a shallow accusation as UMNO was behind.

Remembered attending the debate between Guan Eng and Dato Dr Chua Soi Lek. Soi Lek got him cornered and gave DAP a damaging Developer Action Party label. Guan Eng could get away with a childish response and just tell Soi Lek shame on you.

The DAP CEC fiasco were serious offenses made and yet he could get away with the members just an excuse of computer error. If only they had the intelligence or balls, ROS could close up on DAP. That was why PAS offered DAP to run under PAS ticket in the event it happens.

The attack on Guan Eng has been on-going since 2008. The Lim family has been implicated too. It could never stick.

Some how or rather, there seem to be reaction lately. The discerning eyes could sense it at the last Permatang Pauh by-election. There was indication that the honeymoon maybe ending and their invincibility to public opinion wearing off.

Notice that Guan Eng's election promise of 2008 on the Sungai Nyior toll is making a comeback. More issues will be expected to get recycled. 

Seeing what is happening on the allegations of questionable purchase of Guan Eng's Jalan Pinhorn house, the follow-up issue raised by Dato Rahman Dahlan on the fee for the tunnel and highway project, and the land reclamation objected by both DAP, PKR and UMNO state assemblymen at the recent Penang state assembly, the honeymoon days could be over.

The days of newly wed is over and no more holding hands. Lovey dovey sentiment of Guan Eng with the public is lost. The burden of marriage will soon be felt. What happened at Chew Jetty in the last Chinese New Year celebration?

Guan Eng could get away with all the past acusation because those days, there are Anwar Ibrahim, PKR and PAS to support and deflect any attack from BN side. They were there to even support the destruction of some 30 original Malay kampongs and removal of Malay-run warong and gerai.

Since PKR YB Norlela of Penanti started crying in the state assembly on the plight of the Malays as a result of Guan Eng's "ethnical cleansing" policies on the Malays and Indians and denial of state budget for Penang rural constituency, issues seldom raised by UMNO and brushed off as racist have been gaining attention.

It is partly due to Azmin's invisible hands as he had been most vocal on the removal of PKR councillors in the various local councils. The confirmation is when PKR state exco member, Dr Afif Baharuddin was being asked to resign.

He is an Azmin man.

In the past, it would not have happened. This time around, there is attention when DAP assemblyman for Tanjung Bungah raised the issue of limiting the term for Chief Minister.

That is indicative that the honeymoon could be over for Guan Eng. He may want to continue as Chief Minister and judging from the current going, he may well could defend it since both Gerakan and MCA are not ready up to take up and work on the opportunity presented.

That is beside the point. The point is it is no more easy life for Guan Eng from either outside DAP and Pakatan Rakyat/Harapan or inside.

Recently a DAP state assemblyman in Selangor had his party membership suspended for offenses the late Teoh Beng Hock revealed to MACC and later was found dead from falling off the 14th floor of Masalam building in Shah Alam.

The reaction to the suspension is not positive for DAP. Critics are asking why not Guan Eng?

Guess it is the same as UMNO raising issue on opposition and critics raised about Najib. The different is any BN PM get criticised and slandered all time. For Guan Eng, it is the end of a honeymoon.

What a pity that UMNO did not take up on this issue. Maybe they are not ready to defend MACC yet. By right, they should support MACC because they have come through to investigate Lim Guan Eng. Talk is MACC may not go for the technical of 165 of the Penal Code for fear of doing another fix-up as what Tan Sri Gan Patail may have done on Dato Dr Khir Toyo.

The perception on Guan Eng must be bad that when DAP and PKR were exchanging spat on the candidacy for the 11 state assembly seats for the Sarawak state election, all fingers pointed the blame to the arrogance and stubborness of Guan Eng.

Although DAP were blaming Azmin and PKR, it was the Chairman of Sarawak DAP, Chong Chen Jen all along. He is not in the same camp as Guan Eng and is more assertive of Sarawak DAP position. Local DAP Sarawak members and leaders dare not talk up to Chong.

Otherwise, Lim Kit Siang would not be making postings on his blog about the mistake of DAP at the Sarawak by-election. He is covering for Guan Eng and blaming it on Chong. Buying time on the eventuality perhaps.

With honeymoon over for Guan Eng, could it be the beginning of the end of the Lim dynasty?   

* Edited 25/5 9:30 AM