When former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Lee Kah Choon was appointed as director of Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and chairperson of InvestPenang offered by the PR-led government in Penang, it creates so much dispute and hoo-haa when BN’s pride and dignity seems to be put to test by the announcement.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who initially said he is OK with the appointment as long as there is no clash in policy changed his stance the next day (which is today) when he commented Lee’s action as "against the spirit of Barisan Nasional", echoing the statement made by his deputy Najib Tun Razak.

Earlier, Gerakan advisor and former president Lim Keng Yaik being his usual self concluded Lee’s appointment as reflecting the calibre of the Gerakan party to produce good local leaders, something which DAP cannot afford to do.

However, being a retired politician, he is being gracious not to intervene in the party’s matter by saying it’s up to party’s central working committee and the central committee will decide on Lee’s future in a special meeting this Sunday.

Hence, before Lee’s fate is sealed, putting aside the eligibility factor of his unprecedented move against the spirit of BN by accepting the post, a few questions remain unanswered.

First, if PR’s government believes Lee is a suitable candidate to lead PDC and InvestPenang and simultaneously with Lee’s consent to take up the challenge posed to him, which is to steer the state forward by making positive contribution to the state economic development Penang for the benefit of the people in the state, doesn’t this is in parallel with the BN’s vision to bring the similar positive effect to the state?

Second, if the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is ready to chart a new course by appointing those who, going by tradition, would not get appointed and to pool all capacities to develop Penang in order to make Penang dynamic, what’s the logic of non-acceptance by the BN’s government as well as the Gerakan party?

Lastly, if Lee continues to reiterate that his job as the InvestPenang chairperson has nothing to do with politics, I hope this is good enough to create some rooms for the top Gerakan brains to maneuver and spearhead a new path for this country with an impending decision this coming Sunday.

Politics nowadays, besides the fact that it’s as unpredictable as ever, change is the essence for survival, otherwise risk being obsolete and outdated.

In this case, Gerakan, for one, I’d consider as lucky to be awarded the chance to make history as such a chance doesn’t come by every day.

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