DAP delegates have spoken, respect their decision, Kon Yeow tells Rafizi over unity govt stance

On August 17, DAP central executive committee member Chow Kon Yeow addressed Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, urging him to respect the party's decision to remain in the unity government. This came in response to Rafizi's earlier comments about the resolution adopted at DAP's congress the previous day. Chow emphasized that respecting DAP and its delegates' decision was a fundamental principle.

During a launch of the public participation programme for the Draft Penang Structure Plan 2040, Rafizi had reportedly stated that the DAP's decision to stay in the unity government was expected, attributing it to the difficulty for any political party that had experienced power to simply relinquish it.

When asked about reports suggesting that attendance at the DAP congress was below 50 per cent, Chow clarified that the gathering was still valid as it had met the party's quorum requirement. He noted that at least 25 per cent of eligible delegates needed to be present for the congress to proceed. Chow asserted that attendance at party elections typically ranged from 60 to 70 per cent, while voter turnout in general elections didn't necessarily reach full participation.

He argued that the party's general election was not invalid simply because 65 per cent of eligible voters participated.

Regarding Rafizi's remark about Penang's limited land supply impacting state revenue compared to states like Johor, Chow stated that the state government had always had plans for land development. He explained that land acquisition and opening up land for development were ongoing for various purposes, including industrial use. Chow also mentioned that the reclassification of rural areas as urban areas served as one method of rezoning land use in Penang.

He emphasized that the state government maximized the use of existing land to ensure development delivered the greatest impact for the state, considering Penang's strengths and constraints.