GEORGE TOWN, March 4 — Penang Parti Amanah Negara youth today urged the Pakatan Harapan state government to consider appointing an Amanah assemblyman as an exco to fill the spot vacated by PKR’s Dr Afif Bahardin.

Penang Amanah youth chief Muhamad Khairul Mohd Ali said Amanah should be given the chance to be directly involved in the state administration as part of the Pakatan coalition.

"We hope that the chief minister Chow Kon Yeow will consider appointing an assemblyman from Amanah to be a state exco to fill in the vacancy,” he said in a statement today.

Dr Afif tendered his resignation as the health, agriculture, agro-based industries and rural development committee chairman this morning and Chow said the resignation is effective today.

Amanah only has two assemblymen in Penang, Bayan Lepas assemblyman Azrul Mahathir Aziz and Permatang Pasir assemblyman Muhammad Faiz Fadzil.

Muhamad Khairul said the state government should discuss this vacancy in the state exco line-up with the leaders of all Pakatan coalition parties.

He also voiced Penang Amanah’s support for the Pakatan state administration under Chow’s leadership.

Earlier, Chow said Dr Afif remains as a Pakatan assemblyman.

He said the Seberang Jaya assemblyman is still a PKR member so he is still part of the Pakatan government.

Dr Afif, known as a strong supporter of sacked PKR leader Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, was served a show-cause letter by his party for allegedly being involved in activities to sabotage the party’s Youth Congress in Ayer Keroh, Melaka last year.

Yesterday, he said he had explained to the party disciplinary board that he had merely attended the congress.

He also said he leaves it to the party disciplinary board to decide on his fate in the party.

Dr Afif is expected to hold a press conference explaining his resignation at his house in Seberang Jaya soon.