Penang sacks two PAS reps from local councils

GEORGE TOWN: The two remaining PAS re­presentatives in the local councils in Penang have been sacked.

State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the state government had revoked the appointments of Penang Island city councillor Yacoob Omar, 53, and Seberang Prai municipal councillor Omar Hassan, 63, under subsection 10(4) of the Local Government Act 1976.

He said in a statement yesterday that the state secretary had sent the letters informing them of the revocation on Wednesday.

Chow said Omar was first appointed as a Seberang Prai municipal councillor last year and was reappointed this year while Yacoob took the oath of office as a Penang Island city councillor on Jan 8, this year.

Omar had served in the Seberang Prai Municipal Council’s (MPSP) Administration and Finance, and Traffic and Infrastructure committees while Yacoob was in the Penang Island City Council’s (MBPP) Development Planning and Public Health standing committees.

Omar, who is Permatang Pauh PAS division chief, said he accepted the state government’s decision.

Yacoob, who is Tanjung PAS division chief, confirmed receiving the revocation letter but refused to comment further.

He had said on Wednesday that he would not resign unless there was a letter of termination from the state or instructions from the PAS Syura Council to do so.

Two PAS representatives in the councils resigned earlier.

Mhd Nasir Yahya, 62, gave up his post in the MBPP on Monday followed by Dahalan Fazil from the MPSP a day after.

MPSP president Datuk Maimunah Mohd Shariff said in Bukit Mertajam that the council was awaiting instructions from the state government to fill up the two posts made vacant by Dahalan’s resignation and Omar’s sacking.

Earlier this month, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng took a jab at PAS for not ordering its members, who hold posts in the Penang go­­vernment and its agencies, to resign following the motion by its Dewan Ulama to sever ties with the party.

He had said that politically, it was no longer possible for PAS members to work with the state government.