Penang PKR mum on 'tokong' inquiry

Penang PKR has started its inquiry into the ‘suspects’ who allegedly leaked internal party meeting minutes to a blog in June, sources said.

The inquiry session lasted took place on Monday and Tuesday night last week, and it is learnt that the outcome of the findings would be submitted to the central leadership in Kuala Lumpur.

It is further learnt that the inquiry was presided over by state PKR chief Mansor Othman (right) , his deputy, Law Choo Kiang, vice-chief Abdul Halim Hussein, former senator Mustafa Kamal Mohd Yusoff and state party election secretariat Ong Eu Leong.

Several members, who did not attend the meeting held on March 19, were also called to the inquiry.

‘Suspects’ were grilled on who recorded the session and how it was leaked to the blog ‘Gelagat Anwar”, which posted the minutes of the meeting verbatim on its June 16, 18 and 19, entries.

The leaked document revealed that Mansor, who is also Deputy Chief Minister I, had described his boss in the state government – Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng – as ‘cocky, arrogant and (a) tokong (deity)’.

The closed door meeting, between several state PKR leaders, had discussed seat allocation for the coming 13th general election and the challenges it faced with its partners in Pakatan Rakyat, especially DAP.

'No gag order on party leaders'

When Malaysiakini reported the matter on Aug 23, Mansor did not categorically deny he uttered those words about the Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general, but said it was taken out of proportion.

He had earlier said at a Hari Raya open house gathering in the mainland that the contents of the leaked minutes were ‘genuine’, expressing his dissatisfaction at how the matter was leaked in an obscure blog.

An audio recording of his voice was eventually aired on TV3 prime time news on Sept 24 (above), exposing what Mansor had said about Lim, although it is yet uncertain if the recording was genuine.

“All I can say is the general election is near,” Mansor had told reporters when asked to comment on the matter.

Mansor, the Penanti assemblyperson, was unavailable for comment today, saying he was busy at a meeting.

When contacted, Abdul Halim (left)was tight-lipped about the whole matter and declined any comment.

“It’s an internal matter,” was all the Penang legislative assembly speaker said, although denying that there is a gag order for party leaders to speak about it.

Abdul Halim, the PKR Balik Pulau chief, had refused to comment on any aspect of the inquiry, neither denying nor confirming that it took place last week or when it was completed, including the outcome of the internal probe.

When asked, Law, who is a state executive councillor, did not deny that a meeting took place, but said he was not present during the whole session.

"Please ask Mansor for the details," he said, declining to comment further.

by Susan Loone