Seven councillors quit to contest in GE14

Penang Island City Council mayor Yew Tung Seang (fifth right) and Penang Island City Council secretary Addnan Mohd Razali (fourth left) posing for the cameras together with Penang Island City Council (MBPP) councillors who are contesting in the general election (from left) Syerleena Abdul Rashid, Joseph Ng Soon Siang, Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, A. Kumaresan, Gan Ay Ling, Chris Lee Chun Kit and Ong Ah Teong after the council meeting at Penang City

GEORGE TOWN: Seven Penang Island City councillors have resigned to contest in the general election.

Four are from DAP and three from PKR.

The four from DAP are Ong Ah Teong, 48, Joseph Ng Soon Siang, 39, Syerleena Abdul Rashid, 38, and Chris Lee Chun Kit, 36.

The three from PKR are A. Kumaresan, Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik and Gan Ay Ling, 43.

Penang Island City Council mayor Yew Tung Seang said the seven councillors tendered their resignation letters to him yesterday.

He was speaking after a council meeting at Penang City Hall yesterday.

Ong, who had served since 2009, will stand in Batu Lancang while Ng will contest the Air Itam seat, replacing Wong Hon Wai who is now going for the Bukit Bendera parliamentary seat.

Syerleena is contesting in Seri Delima, replacing R.S.N. Rayer who is fighting for the Jelutong parliamentary seat while Lee will contest the Pulau Tikus state seat.

Kumaresan and Muhammad Bakhtiar are candidates for the Batu Uban state seat and the Balik Pulau parliamentary seat respectively.

Gan said she was fielded to the Indera Kayangan state seat in Perlis.

“I’ve been serving Penang for two and a half years so I’m very close to the people here.

“I feel a bit heavy-hearted leaving them but I’m ready to serve the people in Perlis,” said a teary Gan, who showed mixed emotions when delivering her speech during the meeting.