Monday April 21, 2008
Former Gerakan deputy sec-gen joins agencies
By ANDREA FILMER
PENANG: The state government has appointed former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Datuk Lee Kah Choon as director of InvestPenang and Penang Development Corporation (PDC), two of the state’s economic development agencies.
Lee, a former Jelutong MP and parliamentary secretary of the Health Ministry, has also accepted the post of InvestPenang executive committee chairman.
Lee, a 48-year-old lawyer, said he would withdraw from active politics to dedicate his time to his new appointments.
“I have accepted Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s offer after serious thought, consultation and considerations. I think everyone understands it was a very difficult decision to make, especially if we follow partisan politics,” he said in a press conference held yesterday at the Chief Minister’s office.
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New beginning: Lee (left) accepting Lim’s offer of appointments as director of InvestPenang and Penang Development Corporation yesterday. |
“However, after evaluating all options and consequences, I concluded these new roles will not compromise my original purpose of serving Penang and its people, which was my objective when I first went into politics 11 years ago,” Lee said.
Although he still remains a Gerakan member, Lee said politics was “history” to him.
“As this appointments came from the state government that was elected by the people, as a citizen, I had to take it up,” he said.
Lee said his resignation as Gerakan deputy secretary-general last month was not influenced by offers from the state government, adding that he was only approached last week for the posts.
On reactions from the Gerakan leadership and supporters on his move, Lee said it was natural for some to support him while others opposed.
Lee said PDC and InvestPenang were two institutions created by the previous administrations and work there was “almost apolitical” as it was toward the economic betterment of Penang.
Lim said the appointment was made in the weekly state executive meeting last Wednesday and Lee had started his duties on Friday.
“We feel Lee is in a good position to contribute toward the economic development and betterment of Penang,” he added.
He said the state Government would develop a culture that welcomed all Penangites to contribute, regardless of race, religion or political affiliations.
When asked about Barisan Nasional reactions on the move, Lim said he would not make “political speculations.”
In the press conference, Lim also announced the state would retain the services of Datuk Ho Mooi Ching and former state Barisan secretary Tan Sri Khalid Ahmad Sulaiman as chairman and vice-chairman of the Penang Planning Appeals Board. Their tenure lasts until 2010.
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