Penang chief minister reassures Malays on rights

Penang chief minister reassures Malays on rights
Straits Times - 14 March 2008

THE new ethnic Chinese chief minister of Penang state on Friday told Muslim Malays their rights will be protected, ahead of a street protest over concerns they could be sidelined.

Lim Guan Eng from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) was sworn in on Tuesday after a stunning performance in weekend polls which handed Penang and three other states to a three-party opposition alliance.

Mr Lim, who will govern one of the nation's richest states and the only one dominated by ethnic Chinese, said the DAP would not alienate any community.

'There have been all sorts of rumours that we are going to do this and that,' he said after talks with Malay-based civil society groups.

'But I have told them that this government will be a friend to everybody and they understand this,' he said.

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