PAS confident over 'effective' opposition role in Penang

BUTTERWORTH: PAS is confident of performing an effective role as the Opposition backbencher here despite voters in Penang overwhelmingly supporting Pakatan Harapan in the last general election.
Its sole assemblyperson for the Penaga state seat, Mohd Yusni Piah said that the ground sentiments showed that certain quarters in Penang want PAS to be around.
Despite losing in the remaining 20 state and seven parliamentary seats, Yusni, who is the former Penang PAS Youth head, said that the Islamist party can still champion issues dear to the people although there were only three Opposition backbenchers here.
Besides him, the others are from Barisan Nasional - Nor Hafizah Othman (Permatang Berangan) and Muhammad Yusoff Mohd Noor (Sungai Dua), who is into his second term.
The 37 other state assemblymen are from Pakatan.
According to Yusni, the people hated the long serving Barisan Nasional and Umno mainly due to the imposition of the GST which saw their living costs go up.
PAS also has extensive experience in playing the role of the Opposition in the country, and it will continue to do so despite the results which favored Pakatan, Yusni said.
He believed that he can perform an effective Opposition role in the state legislative assembly.
"I will support any good move by Pakatan state government that will benefit the people, but I will oppose any move by the state that will be detrimental."
Mohd Yusni also said that he will support the two BN representatives in the state assembly, if their resolutions will benefit the people.
PAS also lost its traditional single Permatang Pasir state seat in the elections to Amanah's Muhammad Faiz Fadzil, the son of the former PAS president Datuk Fadzil Noor.