GEORGE TOWN, March 15 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng rubbished allegations today that Pulau Tikus assemblyman Yap Soo Huey was quitting politics as she was viewed unfavourably by his administration.

Responding to news reports to the effect, he insisted that these were an attempt to smear the Penang state government.

"When was she in the bad books? This is something new to us,” he said in a press conference at his office today.

"Don’t simply invent a story, it is a figment of their imagination, don’t spread lies that she was in the bad books of the state government.”

Lim pointed out that Yap, who is still Pulau Tikus assemblyman, helped the state government with flood aid disbursement and issues related to the Hong Seng Estate.

Yap also took charge of the online registration for the November 5 flood victims, he noted.

Yesterday, Yap announced her intention to not defend her seat, saying she planned to study urban planning at a university in the United States this August.

The one-term assemblyman said she was also quitting all her party posts, but would help her successor campaign for the general election.