Penang exco line-up unfair, biased to DAP, says PKR rep

Norlela Ariffin says DAP won 19 seats while the other three PH partners won a total of 18, therefore there should be a fairer distribution of exco posts.

(FMT) – A Penang PKR elected representative today claimed the state executive council line-up was biased towards DAP, despite a collective Pakatan Harapan (PH) win of 37 out of 40 state seats in the recent polls.

Penanti assemblyman Norlela Ariffin said the exco line-up in other PH states such as Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Johor appeared to be fairer compared with that of Penang.

She said if the number of seats won by PKR were added to the number of seats won by Amanah and PPBM, it would total 18 seats, which was nearly equal to DAP’s 19.

She said in the previous general election, those who voted for Pakatan Rakyat in urban areas were mostly Chinese, but that this time Malay voters in urban areas had also voted for PH.

“The new exco line-up must be balanced and reflect power-sharing in key portfolios. Malay voters counted on us when they changed their allegiance to PKR, Amanah and PPBM,” Norlela said.

The current exco line-up excluding the chief minister is DAP (seven) and PKR (three). The current 40-member assembly comprises DAP (19), PKR (14), Amanah (two), PPBM (two), Barisan Nasional (two) and PAS (one).

“I hope the PH presidential council can discuss whether the exco line-up must be fair and reflective of the state assembly make-up,” Norlela said.

“The main portfolios of housing, local government, public works, utilities, sports and more are the same make-up as last term’s exco line-up.

“Even though the deputy chief minister 1 post (was given to engineer) Ahmad Zakiyuddin Ahmad Rahman who is respected as a flood mitigation engineer, he was not given an important infrastructure portfolio where he could contribute his expertise.”

Zakiyuddin, who is first-term Pinang Tunggal assemblyman, holds the portfolios of Islamic affairs, industrial development and community relations.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had said the current exco line-up mimicked the previous term’s 7:3 DAP to PKR ratio as it was the “winning formula” to ensure election promises were fulfilled.

In the 2013 polls, the disbanded Pakatan Rayat won 30 seats in the Penang assembly. DAP won 19, PKR 10, and PAS one. BN held 10 state seats then.

FMT has contacted Chow for his comment on Norlela’s criticism and is awaiting his reply.