DAP national chairperson Karpal Singh has told Gerakan acting president Koh Tsu Koon to heed public opinion and accept the electoral defeat that his party sustained in the general election on March 8.

Koh should not continue to claim credit for “the few good things” done during his 18-year tenure as Penang chief minister, said Karpal (right) , but accept the reality that the days of his “pomp and splendour have come and gone”.

He claimed that Koh has been interfering in the state through Gerakan members, to belittle the achievements of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“Koh should cease and desist from interfering in state political governance. It’s the prerogative of Penangites, given to Lim to govern the state towards its own destiny,” he said.

Karpal was commenting on recent criticism of the state government by Koh’s former political secretary Mark Ooi Swee Hing.

Ooi accused Lim’s government of riding on a success story fashioned by Koh by claiming credit over the two high-profile investments - the RM1.2 billion investment by Japanese printed circuit board manufacturer Ibiden Co Ltd and RM115 million by American Honeywell, a global leader in the aerospace industry.

The state government under Lim (left) had merely completed negotiations that have stretched back one to two years, said Ooi.

Karpal said Koh should not claim credit for the investments and should “seek solace in graceful retirement” since the people of Penang have shown him and Gerakan the path to political oblivion.

‘Puppet chief minister’

Karpal also described Koh as having been a puppet chief minister, whose administration had accommodated the demands and commands of Umno, instead of protecting the rights and interests of the people of Penang.

As a result, the post-election Pakatan Rakyat government has inherited an administration that is ridden with scandal and controversy.

“By virtue of having more seats in the state assembly, it was Umno calling the shots and was filching many prized projects during Koh’s time,” said Karpal, who is the Bukit Gelugor MP.

He reminded Koh (left) to be grateful to Lim for coming to his defence when Umno members openly demonstrated against him during the Tanjung Umno divisional meeting presided by party president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2006.

“By then Koh should have stepped down gracefully, but he didn’t. Then the Penang voters had to (make sure that he did) so. Thus he should not interfere, and should retire and ride into sunset in grace and dignity,” said Karpal.