Penang State Assembly stories by MANJIT KAUR, DERRICK VINESH and CHRISTINA CHIN
THE state Gerakan has proposed that former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Datuk Lee Kah Choon be appointed the new Penang municipal council president.
THE state Gerakan has proposed that former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Datuk Lee Kah Choon be appointed the new Penang municipal council president.
State Gerakan secretary Ong Thean Lye said Lee, who is Penang Development Corporation director and InvestPenang executive committee chairman, was the only person seen capable of handling the council and bring it back to a top level of performance.
Ong said it was shocking and disappointing that the council ranked 21 among 98 local authorities nationwide under the local governments’ rating system.
“Therefore we feel that as Lee is holding key positions in the state government he will be the right person to handle the position,’’ he told reporters after Penang Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas opened the first meeting of the second session of the 12th state legislative assembly yesterday.
The present council president Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman’s term expires at the end of the month and he has been promoted to state secretary.
Asked on why Gerakan proposed Lee when he had quit the party, Ong said they saw no one else capable.
“He will be able to turn around the image of the council. However, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has the prerogative to make the decision. This is merely a suggestion,” he said.
State Gerakan assistant secretary Goh Kheng Sneah, who was also present at the press conference, said the reason for the council to drop in its ranking was because leaders running the state government were “part-timers.”
“The chief minister runs off to Parliament for half a year with his Deputy Chief Minister (II) Dr P. Ramasamy.
“The Deputy Chief Minister I has resigned. I wonder how they are going to overcome the matter?’’ he asked.
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