PENANG: Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce life honorary president Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping were both present at the book launch of the second volume of “Lim Kit Siang: Malaysian First” held at St Giles The Wembley Hotel in Penang on Sunday.

Both were posing with DAP stalwart Lim and others during a group photo but there was no interaction between the two.

Also present at the book launch were Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying, local author Kee Tuan Chye, PCCC president Datuk Seri Hong Yeam Wa, DAP Chairman Lim Guan Eng and Deputy Finance Minister II Steven Sim.

Chow arrived at the hotel when all others were posing for a group photo.

He was invited by Lim Hui Ying to join the group for a photo session.

Chow only shook hands with Lim and did not greet Tan.

It was reported that Chow, with a decision made by the entire Penang executive council on October 19, will take legal action against Tan over alleged defamatory remarks he made against the Penang chief minister in a land deal in Batu Kawan.

Tan’s remarks, appearing in both online and Chinese print media, were deemed humiliating and insulting to the chief minister.

Chow and Tan had been engaged in a war of words on the land deal, which Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce claimed was done without proper due diligence.