Penang exco line up takes oath of office today

GEORGE TOWN - Members of the Penang state executive council (exco) took their oath of office today in a ceremony held before the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak.

The swearing-in ceremony, which started at about 10 am, was held at Dewan Sri Pinang.

The line-up of the state exco, comprising 10 of them included eight new faces. They are Batu Maung Assemblyman Prof Dr Mohd Abdul Hamid; Sungai Acheh Assemblyman Rashidi Zinol; Paya Terubong Assemblyman Wong Hon Wai; 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 other two, Datok Keramat Assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo and Tanjong Bungah Assemblyman Zairil Khir Johari, are re-appointed as state exco.

The lineup also saw Rashidi Zinol as the sole Barisan Nasional candidate and Lim Siew Khim as the sole women representative in the state exco.

In the State Election held last Saturday, the PH-BN coalition won 29 seats while PN won 11 seats.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow told a media conference that he will hold the portfolios of Finance, Economic Development and Land and Communications.

His two deputies, Deputy Chief Minister 1 Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid is responsible for the portfolio of Islamic Religious Development, Education, Higher Education and Community Unity, while Deputy Chief Minister 2 Jagdeep Singh Deo holds the portfolio of Human Capital Development, Science and Technology.

Rashidi is State Trade and Entrepreneurship and Rural Development Committee; Zairil (State Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Development Committee chairman) and Wong Hon Wai is the State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman.

Lim Siew Khim is given the portfolio of Social Development, Welfare and Non-Islamic Affairs; H'ng (Local Government and Town and Country Planning), Gooi (Youth, Sports and Health), Sundarajoo (Housing and Environment) and Fahmi (Agrotechnology and Food Security and Cooperative Development).

"Their appointments have received the blessing of their respective party central leadership while for the post of Deputy State Assembly Speaker, we propose that it be allocated to a representative from Amanah,” said Chow. - BERNAMA