Reps' wives ask RoS not to dissolve PBT

(...) Six wives of state assemblymen and MPs in Penang, led by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's wife, Betty Chew, petitioned the Registrar of Societies (RoS) today to reject the application by the former members of Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjung to dissolve the association.

In a letter handed to the state RoS office, Chew urged the registrar to reject the application by former PBT president Puan Sri Chui Kah Peng to dissolve the association because" the move is illegal, against the PBT's constitution, unethical and does not respect democracy and the people's mandate in wanting a change in the state government".

"We, as the wives of the current state government's wakil rakyat, want PBT to be reinstated and its functions of charity and welfare work to be resumed," she said in the letter.

Chiew expressed shock that Chui and the former PBT members had made ultra vires decisions to dissolve PBT and donate RM350,000 to Bakti.

"PBT is meant for wives of the current state government's representatitves based on the fact that it is clearly stated in its constitution that membership of the association is limited to the wives of the state assemblymen and MPs except for those from the Opposition," she said.

She pointed out that Chui and the other members were no longer valid members of PBT on March 9 when they held the annual general meeting after the general election, as there had been a change in state government.

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Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjung still exists, says ROS

theSTar - Chew criticised the move to dissolve the organisation as unethical and disrespectful to democracy. She added that when the former members decided to dissolve PBT on March 9, they no longer qualified as members because of the outcome of the general election on March 8.

Chui, the wife of former Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, was heading PBT until the Barisan Nasional lost the Penang government.

"We are very shocked at the former members' ultra vires decision (decision beyond their power) to dissolve PBT and to donate RM350,000 to Bakti (the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers)," said Chew in reading out her letter at a press conference.

She added that PBT's constitution did not say that the organisation was meant for wives of Barisan Nasional elected representatives as claimed by Chui.
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Wives of Penang assemblymen, MPs take PBT issue to RoS

sun2surf - The wives of the new government's assemblymen and MPs will be filing a formal request with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) regarding the status of Persatuan Bunga Tanjung issue (PBT) tomorrow.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who announced this during a press conference today, declined to divulge further details except that the wives of the assemblymen and MPs will hold a press conference about it.

As for PBT ex-president Puan Sri Chui Kah Peng's allegations that Lim had insulted and demean women by his statement "leave the poor lady alone", Lim responded that it was just an English expression which means "don't make it hard for her".

"There is nothing derogatory about it. I think they know what I mean," he said.

Lim also read out transcripts of what he had said on that day to prove his point:

"Maybe we need the former Chief Minister to clarify. I do not want to mention Puan Sri. She may not be familiar with the rules required to follow. I do not want to blame her. She may get advice from the adviser. Otherwise, why do we need advisers? I don't think we should go for the poor lady. Let's leave the poor lady alone."
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Bunga Tanjong action ‘against the law’

The Penang government regards the action of the Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjong (PBT) office-bearers to dissolve the association and to donate its funds to Bakti (Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers) as ultra vires its constitution and against the law.

The Chief Minister’s political secretary, Ng Wei Aik, said it was unethical for the PBT (Association of Wives of Penang Elected Representatives) committee to dissolve the association or make decisions on it as it was no longer qualified to lead the group or be ordinary members.

In his letter to PBT president Puan Sri Chui Kah Peng, and faxed to the press here, he demanded that Chui clarify whether three-fifths of its 45 members had, on March 9, the right to make the decision to dissolve PBT and to hand over RM350,000 of its funds amounting to RM590,665 to Bakti as they had lost the right to be PBT members under its constitution.

According to the PBT constitution, membership is restricted to the wives of Penang assemblymen and parliamentarians, except from the opposition.

"There is no mention of wives of BN assemblymen and MPs and the association's registered address is the Chief Minister's office, 28th floor, Komtar," Ng pointed out.

"Therefore, accordingly, PBT should be led by and comprise the wives of the elected representatives of the new state government."

Ng also questioned why PBT had donated only RM240,665 to Penang charitable bodies and the rest to Bakti as the state government had also donated RM10,000 yearly to the association. ...... more on Malaysianinsider

Guan Eng turns down PBT debate

Sun2surf - Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has turned down the challenge for an open public debate on the contentious issues surrounding the Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjung (PBT), saying that the matter demands legal and technical understanding.

He however welcomed members of the PBT, the organisation for wives of BN elected representatives in Penang, who had invited him to publicly debate the matter, to meet him for discussion.

“This is a question of law. There are implications… Did they act properly? Were they qualified to dissolve the body on March 9?”

Lim reiterated that he wants Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, as adviser of the organisation and husband of PBT head Puan Sri Chui Kah Peng, to explain how they could decide on dissolving the body at its AGM on March 9.

He reasoned that the members’ husbands had then become part of the opposition following the general election the day before, and asked if the wives were still eligible to be PBT members then.

He pointed to Clause 5.1 of the PBT’s constitution which states that the ordinary membership of the group includes wives of state assemblymen and members of Parliament in Penang, except those from opposition parties.

“On March 9, the members were no longer wives of assemblymen and MPs in governing parties. They were in fact wives of elected representatives in the opposition.
“I don’t want to pressurise anyone. We want this to be resolved amicably, and certain steps to be taken if there is anything wrong.” more...

NOT desperate nor housewives

Sun2surf - Pertubuhan Bunga Tanjung (PBT), the organisation for wives of Barisan Nasional elected representatives in Penang, has challenged Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his chief-of-staff Jeff Ooi to an open debate on the handling of the group’s funds and its contentious dissolution.

“We are not desperate housewives!” PBT head Puan Sri Chui Kah Peng told a packed press conference today in response to Ooi’s use of the phrase in his blog headline. “This is an insult.”
The wife of former chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon gave Lim and Ooi 48 hours to respond to the group’s invitation starting Friday (May 2).

“We won’t postpone the 48 hours. We also have hectic schedules. We’re not housewives; we’re professionals. We have jobs and duties. Our time is also precious.”

Chui told the conference, also attended by other PBT members, that the group regretted Lim’s insinuation that PBT had failed to disburse its funds properly and his doubting that PBT had donated to the Mt Miriam Hospital, in a posting on his blog on Wednesday.

Also present were PBT deputy head Datin Rabaayah Mohd Naim, wife of former deputy CM Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah, and past deputies Datin Seri Zainab Abdul Kadar (wife of Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad) and Datin Seri Jamilah Mohd Zain (Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya). more...