GEORGE TOWN – Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) in Penang have yet to sort out how they will work together in the state after both coalitions’ national leaderships decided to be part of a unity federal government following the outcome of the 15th general election (GE15).
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that no formal discussion has been initiated at the state-level between the two sides which were rivals in the political arena less than a month ago.
There are presently two BN backbenchers in the PH-dominated state assembly.
The two are state opposition leader and Sg Dua assemblyman Datuk Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor and Permatang Berangan representative Nor Hafizah Othman.
Chow, who is state PH chief, said this when confronted by reporters in Komtar on whether his coalition will work with BN in the state in line with the national unity agreement. He had earlier presented incentives to top students here.
Both Perak and Pahang have also seen PH and BN come together to form unity state governments, while Melaka PH has resolved to remain in the opposition for now.
Other states have also yet to see decisions on this matter, although Perlis, Kedah, Terengganu, and Kelantan are under the control of Perikatan Nasional, which refused to be part of the national unity government.
Chow also said that Penang will liaise with each federal minister over the types of projects and programmes that can be applicable in the state.
“We will give them time to settle in before we seek their assistance in helping us develop Penang,” he said.
Chow also said that he will propose in the next state executive councillors’ meeting that each executive councillor dispatches a letter to the related federal ministry to follow up on projects still not settled. – The Vibes, December 8, 2022
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