Penang PAS reps must resign now, Guan Eng says after muktamar decision
(The Malaysian Insider) – PAS representatives in the Penang government must tender their resignations following the Islamist party’s decision to sever ties with DAP, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.
He said PAS assemblymen have “no choice but to resign” following the decision taken at the ongoing PAS muktamar or annual congress to accept a motion by its Dewan Ulama to stop working with DAP, while still remaining in Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
The motion was adopted by the congress without debate.
“PAS representatives have no choice but to resign from the Penang government and its agencies as well as municipal councillors and Village Development & Security Committees (JKKKs).
“While I enjoy friendly and good working relations with many PAS representatives, I understand they will have to resign for ethical and moral reasons.
“It will be politically untenable for them to remain in the Penang government led by me in my capacity as DAP secretary-general, when PAS muktamar has severed relations with DAP,” Lim said in a statement today.
Lim said he would leave it to PAS to figure out its seemingly contradictory stand of wanting to sever ties with DAP, yet remain in the opposition pact.
“The stability, continuity and credibility of the PR Penang state government will not be affected by the absence of PAS representatives in government.
“Both DAP and PKR will still enjoy its 2/3 majority. With the present 30 out of 40 Penang state assembly seats, without the single PAS (assemblyman), PR Penang will still have 29 seats and a comfortable 2/3 majority,” Lim said.
