Stop bickering in public, Loke orders Guan Eng, Chow

2026-03-21 - 05:30

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said he will organise a meeting between his predecessor, Lim Guan Eng, and Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow to seek an amicable solution. PETALING JAYA: DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook has ordered former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng and his successor Chow Kon Yeow, to put an end to their public spat over the state’s quit rent issue. Loke said the entire DAP central leadership was deeply concerned by the pair’s public spat, describing it as an “unhealthy and inappropriate” manner to tackle internal differences on public policies. He said Lim, as a former DAP secretary-general and former Penang chief minister, should understand the importance of maintaining party discipline. Loke, a federal minister, added that disagreements from state backbenchers should be conveyed through internal mechanisms rather than being aired publicly. “Differences of opinion should not be expressed in a manner that undermines our own chief minister and the state government. “At the same time, while Lim’s approach is highly inappropriate, Chow, as chief minister, should take serious note of the concerns raised, as they involve public interest and reflect grievances from various stakeholders,” he said in a statement. Loke acknowledged the Penang government’s need to review quit rent rates in commercial zones, but said this must be done in a balanced and considerate manner. “This public spat must come to an end, and party discipline must be upheld at all times. As DAP secretary-general, I will convene a meeting involving both leaders to resolve this matter amicably,” the Seremban MP said. Loke added that the focus of all DAP leaders must be on serving the people, urging them to avoid bickering in public and to seek constructive cooperation instead. Over the past week, Lim and Chow have been engaged in a back and forth over the quit rent issue. Chow said several landowners who publicly criticised the revised quit rent rates at a press conference held by Lim had left out key details such as lot size and the actual business or industrial use of their land. The Penang chief minister said some of the cases raised involved land used to store timber, place containers or park lorries, or utilised as used-car sales lots, or even to carry out factory-related activities. Lim then urged Chow to personally inspect the compaints instead of relying only on feedback from land and mines officers, to which the chief minister replied that he trusted in the work of those officers.