Two top guns to remain at helm

Raring to go: (From left) Ooi, Yacoob, Sha’ari, Syerleena, Mohamed Yusoff and Goh posing for a group photo after the swearing-in ceremony at City Hall, Penang.

THE services of the two head honchos of the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) have been extended for one more year as the state gears up for its elevation to a city council status.

Council president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail and its secretary Ang Aing Thye, who would both turn 60 this year, would continue to serve until the end of this year.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the state decided to extend their services to ensure a continuity in the council leadership.

“We want the principle-centred leadership to be maintained as we head towards a status upgrade.

“The city council status (Penang Island City Council) will give us an opportunity to transform the state and the livelihood of Penangites,” Chow said in his speech during the swearing-in of the MPPP councillors at Town Hall in George Town yesterday.

Six new faces were among 24 councillors sworn in for the 2015 term.

They are Goh Choon Keong and Syerleena Abdul Rashid from DAP, Mohamed Yusoff Mohamed Noor and Sha’ari Md Salleh from NGOs, Felix Ooi Keat Hin from PKR and Yacoob Omar from PAS.

The other 18 councillors who had their term extended for another year are Ahmad Azrizal Tahir, Eric Lim Seng Keat, Francis Joseph, Gooi Seong Kin, Harvindar Singh, Joseph Ng Soon Siang, Kumaresan Aramugam, Lee Chun Kit, Lim Boon Beng, Lim Mah Hui, Mhd Nasir Yahya, Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Nur Zarina Zakaria, Ong Ah Teong, Sukumar Subramaniam, Tan Chiew Choon, Tan Hooi Peng and Tan Kim Hooi.

The new team for 2015 consists of 10 from DAP, four from NGOs, eight from PKR and two from PAS.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was present to witness the swearing-in ceremony.