GEORGE TOWN, Feb 25 — Penang remains a Pakatan Harapan (PH) state and its government is functioning and stable, its Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said today amid the collapse of the coalition at the federal level.
The Padang Kota assemblyman met with Penang Governor Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas at the latter’s official residence, Seri Mutiara, for about 20 minutes before speaking to the media outside the gates.
“In Penang, the situation is stable and the governor is confident with the stable situation in Penang currently,” Chow said.
The Tanjung MP said he met the governor to apprise the latter of the current political crisis in Putrajaya and what was happening in Penang.
“I highlighted to the Yang di-Pertua that Penang will only be impacted in terms of Bersatu leaving Pakatan Harapan.
“In Penang, we have only two Bersatu assemblymen who had contested under the Pakatan platform so if the two assemblymen announced they are leaving Pakatan in Penang, that’s the effect on Penang,” Chow said.
Chow who is also Penang DAP chairman said there are 14 PKR assemblymen in Penang, adding that there were no reports any of them were planning to leave the party.
He also highlighted that Penang’s constitution has been revised to prevent party hopping.
“I brought it to the governor’s attention that due to the amendment to the state constitution, anyone who leaves their party, the seat will be vacated.
“If this happens, the Speaker will need to inform the Election Commission to call for a by-election, this is based on the state constitution,” Chow said, adding that he had obtained legal advice on this matter.
He was referring to Article 14(A)(1) of the Constitution of the State of Penang (Amendment) Enactment 2012 that states: a member of the assembly shall vacate his seat if he resigned from the party he was a candidate of when elected.
Chow said the governor has also expressed hope that the political crisis will be resolved soon so that the country’s stability and harmony is not jeopardised.
He said the governor is certain that there are no issues on PH’s rule in Penang.
“Let’s not rush this, let what’s happening in Putrajaya be resolved first,” Chow said when asked if any assemblyman had decided to leave PH.
Chow said he has also been called to go to Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.
“I was told that I need to be at the Istana Negara tomorrow but the time is yet to be confirmed,” he said.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has announced that he will be interviewing all MPs one by one to ascertain who commands the majority of the Dewan Rakyat to become the next prime minister.
