Penang state Exco sworn in and ready to serve

GEORGE TOWN: Seven DAP and three PKR lawmakers have been sworn in as state executive councillors before Penang Governor Tun Dr Abdul Rahman Abbas at Dewan Sri Pinang.
Pinang Tunggal assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Ahmad Rahman has been appointed the new Deputy Chief Minister 1, while Prof Dr P. Ramasamy retains his Deputy Chief Minister II post and his state exco portfolio in charge of Economic Planning, Education, Human Capital Development, and Science, Technology and Innovation.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow will hold the portfolio for Land Matters and Land Development and Information.
Padang Lalang assemblyman Chong Eng takes over as the Women and Family Development, Gender Inclusiveness and Non-Islamic Affairs exco.
She was the Youth, Sports, Women and Family Development Committee chairman in the previous administration.
Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo is the Local Government, Housing and Urban and Rural Planning Committee chairman.
Sungai Puyu assemblyman Phee Boon Poh was also retained as the chairman of Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee.
New faces in the exo line-up were Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Zairil Khir Johari who was appointed as the Works, Utilities and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman.
Newcomer Batu Maung assemblyman Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain heads the Domestic and International Trade, Consumer Affairs and Entrepreneur Development Committee.
Paya Terubong assemblyman Yeoh Soon Hin is the chairman of Tourism Development, Heritage, Culture and Arts Committee.
Bagan Jermal assemblyman Soon Lip Chee heads the Youth and Sports Committee.
At a press conference later, Chow said the decision to maintain the status quo in the new state executive councillor lineup was made to ensure that the state performs better in the next five years of its administration.
He feels the current lineup is the strongest so far the Penang state government has in fulfilling election pledges made by Pakatan Harapan (PH).
"It is part of the arrangement and we need to move forward and perform for the people," he said.
He was responding to a question from reporters on the absence of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) and Parti Amanah Negara elected representatives in the line-up.
Chow said the arrangement of the exco line-up was made in the spirit of PH.
"As in some other states where DAP won more seats but did not get the post of chief minister or mentri besar, it is made in the spirit of Pakatan," he added.