Penang BN chief Dr Hilmi Yahya said the new chief will come from Gerakan as Umno is not interested in the position.
GEORGE TOWN: Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional national chairman Najib Tun Razak will announce the new Penang BN chief this week, its secretary Dr Hilmi Yahya said here today.
Hilmi’s announcement more or else confirmed speculations that Senator Koh Tsu Koon would step down as state BN chief, a post he has held for some 20 years.
Hilmi said Koh did not discuss about his resignation from the chairman post or about his successor with the state BN leadership.
Current Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow is strongly tipped to replace Koh.
Hilmi, Umno’s Teluk Bahang assemblyman, said Umno did not have any preference and was prepared to work with Teng, if appointed.
“We will work with anyone in the BN spirit,” he told newsmen before the sPICE civil suit was filed by four ratepayers at Penang High Court.
Last Saturday, Koh, the former Penang chief minister, when announcing that he would stay put as Gerakan president at least until after the next general election, has hinted that he would step down as state BN chief.
Hilmi said that Umno had never considered helming state BN due to the “coalition social contract” that the position should go to Gerakan, which was Penang’s ruling party from 1969 until 2008.
“We have no qualms over Gerakan leadership in BN,” he said in response to Kongres Melayu Pulau Pinang’s (KMPP) call last week on Umno to helm BN in Penang.
Once the leadership issue has been put to rest this week, Hilmi said that BN would move up a gear to focus on strengthening the coalition political position in the state.
GEORGE TOWN: Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional national chairman Najib Tun Razak will announce the new Penang BN chief this week, its secretary Dr Hilmi Yahya said here today.Hilmi’s announcement more or else confirmed speculations that Senator Koh Tsu Koon would step down as state BN chief, a post he has held for some 20 years.
Hilmi said Koh did not discuss about his resignation from the chairman post or about his successor with the state BN leadership.
Current Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow is strongly tipped to replace Koh.
Hilmi, Umno’s Teluk Bahang assemblyman, said Umno did not have any preference and was prepared to work with Teng, if appointed.
“We will work with anyone in the BN spirit,” he told newsmen before the sPICE civil suit was filed by four ratepayers at Penang High Court.
Last Saturday, Koh, the former Penang chief minister, when announcing that he would stay put as Gerakan president at least until after the next general election, has hinted that he would step down as state BN chief.
Hilmi said that Umno had never considered helming state BN due to the “coalition social contract” that the position should go to Gerakan, which was Penang’s ruling party from 1969 until 2008.
“We have no qualms over Gerakan leadership in BN,” he said in response to Kongres Melayu Pulau Pinang’s (KMPP) call last week on Umno to helm BN in Penang.
Once the leadership issue has been put to rest this week, Hilmi said that BN would move up a gear to focus on strengthening the coalition political position in the state.
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