Penang EXCO members are expected to lead the state and people to greater heights.

The recent revelation that an EXCO member did not carry himself well as a Penang representative at the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo 2009 in Melbourne from Feb 17 to 18 is shocking and worrying because the participants are experts in the tourism industry. The participants may think that Penang lack qualified, competent and efficient representatives.

“It is good that the Penang state government sends a representative to important tourism meetings overseas but the person must be good and able to sell Penang well to the participants,” said Penang Gerakan secretary Ong Thean Lye.

Ong was commenting on a report in The Star yesterday that the circulation of an e-mail by a concerned Penangite on the alleged incompetence of EXCO member in charge of tourism Danny Law including his dismal performance at the exposition had come to the attention of the state government.

The man, identified as TK Choong Lim, said Law was not able to communicate properly and fluently in English, especially at international fairs.

“How does Law expect to market Penang if the foreigners don’t understand a word of what he is saying,” Lim wrote in his e-mail.

In the e-mail, Lim also mentioned that Law had brought along a bodyguard.

Ong questioned the necessity for Law to bring along a bodyguard as it would be a waste of state’s money.

Ong asked Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng why he needed a third party to tell him that his EXCO member’s performance was below par.

“Lim meets his EXCO members regularly and I am sure that he knows who is competent or not.”

On Lim’s announcement of some changes in portfolio involving four EXCO members, Ong asked whether the changes were made because of poor performance or for political reasons.

State Local Government, Traffic Management and Environment Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow had handed over his environment portfolio to Health, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh. Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin’s religion affairs portfolio had been given to State Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs committee chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kassim.