GEORGE TOWN, June 27 — Penang PKR vice chairman Law Choo Kiang obtained the agreement of the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to be Speaker of the state assembly although the state administration was in favour of his party mate Datuk Mansor Othman.

State PR chairman Lim Guan Eng said in a statement today the pact would be putting forward Law’s (picture) name for the Speaker position, and Penang PKR secretary Maktar Shapee as his deputy.

“However, after consultation with PKR de facto leader and parliamentary Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Law was agreed to be proposed as the Speaker and Maktar as the deputy,” Lim said.

He said the state PKR chairman and Nibong Tebal MP Datuk Mansor Othman had been the state executive council’s choice.

Law, who is the Bukit Tambun state assemblyman, was the initially named as the possible choice as Speaker by Mansor himself after the state exco line-up was sworn in last month.

Law was a state executive councillor in the previous term but he was dropped and replaced by newcomer Dr Afif Bahardin, who is Seberang Jaya state assemblyman.

Lim said the exco had unanimously proposed Mansor as Speaker and this was supported by all PKR exco members after getting feedback from within and without the state government before a different decision was made after consultation with Anwar.

“Anwar will meet with all relevant parties later to explain this decision,” he said.

Lim will move this motion to propose Law and Maktar as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively at the state assembly meeting tomorrow. Deputy Chief Minister I Rashid Hasnon will second the motion.

Last term, Penang PKR vice-chairman Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain was the Speaker and former Machang Bubuk state assemblyman Datuk Tan Hock Leong was the Deputy Speaker.

Tan was dropped as a candidate in Election 2013 and Abdul Halim, who contested in the Teluk Bahang state seat, lost in the polls.