DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng has dismissed tough talk by Perikatan Nasional (PN) leader Shahidan Kassim of taking over Penang in the coming state elections.

He said the Arau MP’s confidence was mere wishful thinking.

“Let it be… if he wants to (shake up Penang), leave him to be with his dreams,” Lim was quoted as saying in New Straits Times today.

On Wednesday, Shahidan in a video clip on his Facebook page said PN has a strategy to capture Negri Sembilan and Selangor, besides having the confidence that it can “shake up” Penang.

Previously, Gerakan president Dominic Lau, in an interview with The Malaysian Insight, said his party – now part of PN – believes the time is ripe for the party to knock DAP off its pedestal and reclaim Penang.

Lau said the party, even though it failed to win a single seat in the past two general elections, has “the concept, strategy and talent” to rule Penang again.

Gerakan governed Penang for 39 years from1969-2008. Since then, the state has been in the hands of Pakatan Harapan, having become a DAP stronghold.

Responding to Lau, Penang Deputy Chief Minister P. Ramasamy said the Gerakan president’s hope for a political comeback in Penang was little more than a hallucination.

Lim was also reported as saying that DAP has not held any discussions with Barisan Nasional regarding seat allocation in the state elections.

“As for the discussion (on seat distribution), we will not reveal it. I think we will announce it,” he said. – January 27, 2023.