Don’t blame my state secretary, Guan Eng tells Penanti rep
Penang CM refutes argument of PKR’s Norlela Ariffin that she was not invited to governor’s swearing-in on April 29.
Lim said Norlela’s claims were not true and had cast a bad light on state secretary Farizan Darus.
Norlela had claimed yesterday that she was not officially invited by the state secretary’s office to the governor’s swearing-in ceremony on April 29.
On her Facebook account, she also said she thought the event was only meant for state excos and those holding positions.
Norlela added that she could not attend as she had been told to stay back at the Penang PKR convention by her party boss, state PKR chief Mansor Othman.
Lim has since put on hold a special quarterly allocation of RM50,000 for assemblypersons, including Norlela, who didn’t attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Lim said there was no freeze on the allocations, but those affected would have to give a written explanation first on why they were absent.
Lim said he would not comment on Norlela’s claims that she had to attend the PKR convention, adding that Deputy CM I Mohd Rashid Hasnon would be issuing a statement on the matter.
“I want to say this… don’t drag my state secretary into this. My state secretary is a professional and one of the best in the country.
“He (Farizan) had sent the invites. Please do not question his professionalism. I am very disappointed because what she said is completely untrue.
“Do not run down my state secretary; his job is done professionally.
“We have all the proof that she has indeed received the invite,” Lim said.
However, Norlela said she was sticking to her earlier claim that she had not received any invitation by mail to date.
“Why would I lie about this? I want to know… was it sent by hand, mail or what?” she said when contacted.
Freeze on grants for reps absent at governor’s swearing-in
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