GEORGE TOWN: Gerakan will not object to its members receiving titles recommended by Pakatan Rakyat state governments if their names were proposed by NGOs, said party vice-president Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan.

“If their names are recommended for consideration, it is through their own efforts of serving the people through the NGOs. We have no part in it,” he said.

Dr Teng said Gerakan had never recommended any names of its members to Pakatan Rakyat state governments for titles.

As such, he expressed surprise with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s remarks on the matter.

Lim had hit out at Barisan Nasional for allowing its members to receive titles recommended by Pakatan Rakyat state governments.

He had said Barisan did not allow its component parties to be involved in any way with Pakatan administered states, but receiving awards seemed to be all right.

Lim had referred to a vernacular newspaper report quoting Gerakan and MCA leaders as saying they did not object to their members receiving such awards.

It quoted Dr Teng and Penang MCA deputy chairman Lau Chiek Tuan as saying that their parties did not object to their members receiving the titles.

Dr Teng agreed with Lim that political parties should put the people’s interest first and allow their members to serve the community.

“We agree on that point and we practise it by encouraging our members to serve the people through the party and NGOs,” he said.