GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has lashed out at a Muslim NGO and Umno for demanding that the open selling of pork in Penang be banned.

Lim said pork had been openly sold ever since Barisan Nasional administered the state government.

“I am very disappointed with Umno for making an issue of this. Action must be taken against all illegal hawkers and not only on those selling pork ... but (they) are only targeting illegal hawkers selling pork.

“Umno now wants to restrict the sale of pork to non-Muslims, especially in areas where the majority of the population are non-Muslims.

“I think it is not a correct approach,” Lim told a press conference at the Penang Skills Development Cor­poration in Bayan Baru yesterday.

The Islamic Solidarity and Charity Organisation (Isco) had earlier hande­d a letter to Penang Municipal Council president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail, complaining that the open selling of pork was an affront to Muslim sensitivities.

The letter, signed by Isco president Abdul Rahman Makhtun, said pork sellers could be found around George Town in places like Lebuh Chulia, Jalan Kuantan and Jalan C.Y. Choy.

Tanjong Umno Youth vice-­chairman Mohd Yusmadi Yusoff said Isco had the movement’s support on the matter.