Zakiyuddin stable after heart surgery

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Deputy Chief Minister 1 (DCM I) Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin (pix) is in stable condition after undergoing an open heart surgery yesterday.
His special officer, Muhasdey Muhamad said the 60-year-old Pinang Tunggal assemblyman regained consciousness this morning and has been responding well.
He, however, said no visitors are allowed to visit him currently as he is under strict monitoring by a specialist doctor at the Penang Hospital.
"I was told by his son this morning that Ahmad Zakiyuddin has been responding well after he regained consciousness," he told when contacted by theSun.
He said the first term assemblyman is still warded at the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) and will be transferred to normal ward soon.
The former engineer is expected to be warded for one or two weeks depending on his health.
Last Friday, Ahmad Zakiyuddin was admitted to the Penang Hospital after complaining of chest pains while on his way to an event at Kepala Batas.
He was rushed to KPJ hospital and then transferred to the Penang Hospital's ICU unit for observation.
Yesterday Ahmad went through a successful six-hour operation conducted by a team of specialists at Penang Hospital.
Meanwhile, when contacted Penang Deputy Chief Minister 2, P. Ramasamy said, for now, it is important for Zakiyuddin to rest and the state government is not in a hurry to decide whether someone will deputise for him as he recuperates.
"Our exco members have not met, so it is better to allow Zaki to good rest," he told theSun.
He also did not disclose on when the exco meeting will take place.