Penang can look to civil societies for check and balance, says Gerakan man

GEORGE TOWN: Penang will have to look to civil societies apart from the three backbenchers from Umno and PAS to play the role of the Opposition in the state, veteran Gerakan leader Wong Mun Hoe said today.
There is not a strong Opposition at the state assembly as Pakatan Harapan (PH) won 37 of the 40 state seats, said Wong.
However, DAP assemblymen should play a bigger role in maintaining check-and-balance as they were critical of the state's direction under the BN administration, he added.
"But knowing how rigid DAP is, the likelihood of anyone from DAP voicing out is unlikely," he said. "We could re-emerge as a third-voice movement after the dramatic move to exit the BN coalition."
Penang had a minimal Opposition in 1995 when Barisan Nasional (BN) won handsomely with 33 seats then whereas DAP only had one.