GEORGE TOWN, March 7 — The Pakatan Harapan-led Penang government will appoint "caretakers” to ensure the constituents in four state seats that were declared vacant yesterday will be represented.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the caretakers for Bertam, Seberang Jaya, Sungai Acheh, and Telok Bahang will be chosen from among the serving assemblymen, but did not name the appointees in the state legislative assembly this morning.

"This is so that the constituents will not feel as if they have been sidelined,” he told Air Putih assemblyman Lim Guan Eng who wanted to know who would care for the constituents of the four vacant seats.

Chow, who is also Padang Kota assemblymen, said the caretakers will be given funds to care for the four vacant constituencies.

Yesterday, Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sungai Acheh), Dr Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya), Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (Bertam) and Zolkifly Md Lazim (Telok Bahang) were dismissed from the state legislative assembly after the motion for them to vacate the seats under the state’s anti-party hopping law was approved.

Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin claimed the move was politically motivated and accused the state ruling coalition of abusing its power.

He also described it as a disrespect to the pillars of democracy and an affront to the law.

In response, Chow said Hamzah’s statement was an affront to the decision by the Federal Court, since Penang’s anti-party hopping law is in line with the Federal Constitution.

"The decision by the Federal Court clearly states that the anti-hopping law in the state constitution did not contradict with the anti-hopping law in our Federal Constitution,” he said.

He maintained that Zulkifli, Dr Afif, Khaliq, and Zolkifly were are Bersatu members, were from the state legislative assembly under Penang’s anti-party hopping law.