Cabinet line-up feels unfair to DAP, says Penang CM

BUTTERWORTH: Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the new Cabinet line-up caused some unhappiness as none of its seven DAP MPs from the Penang state was selected.

“Overall in the country, only four DAP MPs were selected for cabinet positions, although we understand the original intention is to have a very lean cabinet,” he added.

“But I think the result (of the Cabinet list announcement), people know that it is not that lean (of a) Cabinet after all,” Chow was speaking to reporters after he attended the Penang International Science Fair 2022 at Butterworth Arena in Taman Ampang Jajar near here yesterday. Also present were Penang Deputy Chief Minister (11) Dr P. Ramasamy and youth and sports committee chairman Soon Lip Chee.

“We can accept any number of posts if it is the overall lean cabinet,” added Chow.

“But the fact is while we were given four (Cabinet posts), other component parties who won fewer seats were given more Cabinet posts than us.

He said the feeling was that it is not a fair distribution.

“I will leave it to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to work out the Cabinet according to his vision for the country.

In the recently concluded 15th General Election, out of the 13 parliamentary seats, DAP contested seven seats and won all the seats, while PKR contested four seats, winning three, PAS contested three seats and won two seats, Bersatu contested five seats and won one seat.

Meanwhile Umno, Perjuang and Warisan contested four seats each and lost all, while MCA contested six seats and lost all. Muda and Amanah contested one sea each and lost all.

The seven DAP candidates who won comprised Lim Guan Eng (Bagan), Steven Sim (Bukit Mertajam), Chow Kon Yeow (Batu Kawan), Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Bukit Bendera) Lim Hui Ying (Tanjung), RSN Rayer (Jelutong), and Ramkarpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor).

The three winning PKR candidates were Fadhlina Sidek who was appointed as the Health Minister, Sim Tze Tzin (Bayan Baru) and Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (Balik Pulau).

The two winning PAS candidates were Mastura Muhammad (Kepala Batas) and Muhammad Fawwaz Mat Jan (Permatang Pauh).

The sole Bersatu winner was Wan Saifulrudin Wan Jan.