GEORGE TOWN, Aug 16 — Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo, who was previously the local government and housing state exco, was sworn in as the Penang deputy chief minister II today.
He was sworn in after new Batu Maung assemblyman Prof Datuk Mohamad Abdul Hamid was sworn in as Penang deputy chief minister I.
The state’s new exco lineup that consisted of seven new faces are being sworn in at the Dewan Sri Pinang today.
Among the new faces are Barisan Nasional’s Sungai Acheh assemblyman Rashidi Zinol, Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim, Jawi assemblyman H’ng Mooi Lye, Padang Lalang assemblyman Gooi Zi Sen, Perai assemblyman Datuk Seri S.Sundarajoo and Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Fahmi Zainol.
The new state exco lineup, not including chief minister Chow Kon Yeow, consisted of one BN assemblyman, seven from DAP and two from PKR.
BN’s Bertam assemblyman Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican was not included in the list.
Instead, Rashidi is the sole BN exco and he will be holding the trade and entrepreneurial development and rural development portfolio.
Aside from the deputy chief minister I post, Prof Mohamad (from PKR) also heads the Islamic development, education and national unity committee while Jagdeep holds the human capital development, science and technology portfolio.
Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Zairil Khir Johari, from DAP, resumed his post as the state exco for infrastructure, transport, and digital development.
Paya Terubong assemblyman Wong Hon Wai (DAP), who was previously a state exco between 2008 and 2013, will hold the tourism and creative economy portfolio.
Third term Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim (DAP) will head the social development, welfare, and non-Islamic religious affairs committee.
Second term Jawi assemblyman H’ng (DAP) will head the local government and town and country planning committee.
Another second term assemblyman from DAP, Gooi, will take charge of the youth, sports, and health portfolio while first term assemblyman Sundarajoo will lead the housing and environment committee.
The second PKR assemblyman in the exco, Fahmi Zainol, will be the agro-technology and food security and cooperative development committee chairman.
Later in a press conference, Chow said most of the state excos from DAP were second or third term state assemblymen except for Sunderajoo.
“Sunderajoo has experience in the housing industry,” he said.
When asked about the composition of the state exco and the reduction of three PKR excos to two, he said the composition is based on the number of seats won.
He added that PKR only has two Malay assemblymen this time around.
“We want to have representation from all races in the exco,” he said.
He also said it is a matter of give and take between the unity government where the exco seat distribution takes into account those in the other PH-BN states too, not only in Penang.
As for Amanah, he said the sole assemblyman Azrul Mahathir Aziz will be proposed as Deputy Speaker for the state legislative assembly.
When asked about possible conflict of interests in the appointment of Sunderajoo as housing and environment exco due to his background as a former director of a housing developer, Chow said there was no conflict of interest.
“As far as I know, he doesn’t have any interests in the company, prior to this he was a director, he has resigned from the post and he is not the owner of the company,” he said.
He said Sunderajoo has decades of experience in housing development so he would be able to hold the portfolio in terms of understanding the technicalities of development.
“According to the law, any state exco, not only him, are not allowed to own any business and I believe all state excos fulfil this condition,” he said.
