IT has been a tough week for Lim Guan Eng.

The Penang chief minister had to spend two days in court, and then head off to Parliament for the re-delineation motion and the Anti-Fake News Bill 2018.

Despite the stress and his tight schedule, the DAP secretary-general still met constituents in the Raja Uda area in Bagan, at the launch of the parliamentary constituency’s Pakatan Harapan election operations centre and “Ubah” truck, late on Tuesday.

Running low on gas

“I am very tired. I have been getting only four hours of sleep. The impact of what is going on is heavy (on me). But, I still have to carry on.

“Now, many of us are running low on gas. But, we have to muster whatever energy we have left because we can see the hope of the people,” he told reporters in the predominantly Chinese Raja Uda area.

In the final weeks before the 14th general election, Lim, 57, is banking on the people’s hopes for a better Malaysia, their trust in PH and the accomplishments of the opposition-controlled Penang government.

“Penang is worth (the hard work). You can see the changes over the last 10 years. We have done it and the people can feel it, and what is important is, tomorrow can be better, because we can still do better.

“Based on this, we have to push on no matter how tough the road ahead is,” said the two-term chief minister.

Lim said he hopes the people can see that the troubles he is facing – including a police investigation under Section 233 of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Act into a video of him singing an anti-goods and services tax song at the launch of a free tuition programme earlier this month – are politically motivated.

Keeping up the fight

Lim was his usual self in Raja Uda on Tuesday when he made his 30-minute speech, peppered with sarcastic remarks and jokes, before hundreds of Bagan folk.

The PH deputy president slammed the federal government’s GST policy and spoke briefly about his ongoing graft trial, with two big projector screens showing pictures of a pro-Barisan Nasional blogger who had testified against him during the trial on Monday.

“This main prosecution witness told the court that he lodged a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission report against me so that I can clear my name. He said he is not a BN guy, but he admitted that he has joined protests against the Penang government,” he said as pictures of the blogger participating in protests, as well as seen with recognisable state BN politicians, are shown on the screens.

On talks that BN’s Umno and Gerakan aim to take back 15 and 13 state seats, respectively, in GE14, Lim cautioned the people not to underestimate them.

“I am confident in Penang folk. You have courage and ‘gu qi’ (spine)... let BN know that it doesn’t qualify to be the government, but can work hard to be a good opposition.

“Let us talk about the facts that show why PH must retain the state government… look at the details shown on the screens next to me. Don’t look at me, I am not a ‘shuai ge’ (handsome man),” he said, to laughter from the crowd.

Last chance

Lim told the crowd that GE14 is the last opportunity to change the federal government, and that if they fail to vote PH, many will end up eating “curry rice” – a slang among the Chinese that means going to prison or getting locked up by the authorities.

“Don’t laugh. I sang a song about GST and they want me jailed for a year.”

Under Section 233 of the MCMC Act, he can be fined not exceeding RM50,000, jailed not exceeding one year, or both, upon conviction.

Asked how he is able to keep his spirits high, Lim said he will not let his political enemies “get their satisfaction” out of “bullying the Penang chief minister”.

“No. We will fight till the end. I prefer to die standing than to live on bended knees. The spirit is to take the fight to BN.” – March 29, 2018.