PKR5 must work to regain trust: Guan Eng

GEORGE TOWN: Penang PKR exco members have lost trust in their party backbenchers according to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

The lost comes after the five abstained from voting when Pulau Betong assemblyman Farid Saad moved a motion on land reclamation at the State Legislative Assembly last week.

The DAP secretary general said the five PKR assemblymen have now got to work to regain the trust and confidence of their colleagues.

He nonetheless stressed the five are still viewed as part of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Penang government.

"Their duties and functions will continue as normal," he said in a press conference today and welcomed the Tuesday statement by Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Rashid Hasnon that there was no coup to replace the latter when asked on
the matter.

Texts to Rashid and Bukit Tengah assemblyman Ong Chin Wen, who is also the PKR whip, were not replied at time of writing.

In a related development, PKR Parliament Members and Assemblymen Coordinating Bureau Datuk Johari Abdul said the party was satisfied by the explanation from the five lawmakers.

He said the party noted the motion was not a partisan issue but touched upon environmental matters and the public interest.

He said PKR respected differences in opinion as this was a mark of a healthy democracy and stressed there should be separations of powers between the legislature and the executive.

He said the party remained committed to the PH government in Penang while its lawmakers supported the state government there.

"We view the issue as settled," the Sungai Petani MP said in a statement today.