(The Star) - Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mansor Othman has denied calling Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng “cocky and arrogant”.

Speaking at a press conference in Komtar on Friday, the duo put up a relatively strong front before an army of reporters.

“Words like tokong (deity) were taken out of context to give a bad impression on the relationship between PKR and DAP.

“For example, the word tokong actually refers to the honour and respect given to the chief minister by the Penang people,” Mansor said reading from a statement.

He said the meeting was not a strategic planning meeting as was reported but an informal meet between a group of PKR members.

He also denied that there were any minutes taken during the meeting.

It was reported that Mansor had described Lim as “cocky and arrogant” during a PKR strategic planning meeting in March this year.

Alleged minutes of the meeting had been leaked and picked up by a blog called Gelagat Anwar.

The alleged minutes also quoted Mansor saying that DAP were seeking PKR-allotted seats in the next general election, a claim that was later refuted by Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow who demanded an explanation from the state PKR over the alleged statements.

A news portal had quoted Mansor as saying the minutes of the party's strategic planning meeting on the general election preparations had been published verbatim in an obscure blog.

He had apparently remarked that Lim was not only “arrogant” but also it was undeniable that Penangites thought of him as a “tokong” (a deity).

“He (Lim) is very arrogant, I will tell you ... cocky and arrogant. It is not easy. Now, more arrogant,” he was quoted as saying in the minutes.