Penang Gerakan is sad that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is “heartless and cruel” that he wants a journalist to be sacked if the journalist has made a mistake or misquoted someone in his article.

Penang Gerakan publicity, information and communication bureau chief Dr Thor Teong Gee said it is not the practice for political leaders, especially someone helming a state government, to call for the sacking of a journalist.

“If at all a journalist has made a mistake or misquoted a political leader, the proper procedure is to ask for a correction and a reprimand to the journalist concerned,” he said in a statement.

Dr Thor was commenting on a statement by Lim which was reported in the Malaysiainsider, an online portal, in which Lim had said: “I find it hard to believe that the national news agency Bernama would dare to misreport the prime minister no matter how excited or enthusiastic the reporter is.”

“Unless the offending Bernama reporter is sacked for such unprofessional conduct and incompetence…(this) shows that BN is carrying out a ‘smoke and mirrors’ campaign to recapture Penang by confusing PR and conceal BN’s real strategy of winning back Penang by stealth and subterfuge.”

Lim was referring to Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s claim on Saturday that Barisan Nasional (BN) would wrest the state back in the next election.

However, on Sunday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said Najib, who is also Barisan Nasional chief, had only said the coalition would win back a few seats and blamed the Bernama reporter for misreporting out of “over-excitement and over-enthusiasm.”

Dr Thor said he is surprised that Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, is obsessed with whether BN will regain Penang or not.

“Lim should be looking at the larger picture especially on issues facing Penangites such as the frequent traffic jams in the city areas, the increasing cost of living and high prices of houses,” said Dr Thor.