This term originated in 2012 when Guan Eng was still the Penang chief minister (CM). Then-deputy CM Mansor Othman criticised his perceived arrogance in a closed-door meeting, referring to him as tokong.
Although Mansor later clarified that “tokong” was meant to reflect the high regard and esteem Penangites had for Guan Eng, it was evident that he was uncomfortable with the term. Over the years, he has repeatedly and publicly urged people to refrain from using it.
Regardless of interpretation, the term came to symbolise his once-unassailable political dominance in Penang over the past 16 years.
However, since the Penang DAP state election on Sept 22 last year, a series of developments have raised questions about whether Guan Eng’s political aura is beginning to fade...