GEORGE TOWN, Dec 3 — Popular promenade Gurney Drive will not be renamed to “Chin Peng Drive” as alleged by the Penang Umno Youth, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Criticising the Malay party for the “lies” that the street will be renamed on January 1, Lim said it would be ludicrous to name the road after the late communist leader.
“This is ridiculous, completely crazy, what type of crazy rumours will they come out with next?” he asked at a press conference in his office today.
Lim also said the state government will lodge police reports against Penang Umno Youth for spreading malicious lies.
He was responding to a statement by Penang Umno Youth chief Rafizal Abdul Rahim yesterday who demanded explanations from the state government on renaming of Gurney Drive to Chin Peng Drive.
Chin Peng is the late leader of the outlawed Communist Party of Malaya.
Yesterday, Rafizal claimed he heard a rumour from an unknown “source” in Lim’s office and that this was also widely circulated via the Whatsapp text messaging service.
Lim today demanded that Rafizal show proof of his allegation and to identify the purported “source”.
“He claimed to have heard this from a source in my office, how is it that I don’t know about it and he heard from someone in my office?” he asked.
Gurney Drive is a prominent tourist spot, well known for its hawker centre, and now has two main shopping malls along it.
