KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today dismissed intense speculation that his deputy Fairus Khairuddin had resigned.
“As of now he is still the deputy chief minister,” Lim told reporters.
But despite the denials by the DAP secretary-general, Fairus's position appears untenable.
The Malaysian Insider understands his position is now considered untenable by his own party PKR.
Party leaders are now trying to work out a solution to remove Fairus with minimal damage to PKR's image.
Lim said that his political secretary contacted Fairus yesterday evening and he had denied that he was resigning.
“I don't know where the story came from," he added.
Lim also refused to comment when asked how the rumour on Fairus's resignation started.
“I think you know better than I do, maybe you can ask Datuk Seri Anwar (Ibrahim),” he said.
He also refused to rate Fairus’s performance, saying that there are many factors to be considered in judging the Penanti assemblyman.
He said that he last met his deputy at the weekly executive council meeting last week.
On whether he had discussed the matter with PKR de facto leader Anwar, Lim said: “We talk about many things.”
He said that the appointment of the deputy chief minister is his prerogative but would consult Anwar on the matter.
Speculation about Fairus's resignation began to surface yesterday when an anonymous text message was circulated saying that he was instructed to quit by Anwar over allegations of abuse of power.
Fairus has been a source of controversy from Day One of his appointment as deputy chief minister after the DAP-led PR administration took power last March.
He had been ticked off by Anwar for not even visiting his constituency, and he was later forced to quit as Penang Football Association president because he had shown little interest in the job.
The removal of Fairus comes after allegations surfaced last week that two of PKR’s state leaders were on the take.
Allegations were made by another state PKR leader that two party leaders had allegedly accepted bribes from three quarry companies operating in Prai.
The state PKR began an internal probe this week into the accusations.
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