GEORGE TOWN: Bukit Tambun assemblyman Goh Choon Aik (pic) is Penang’s new trade and national unity committee chairman after a reshuffle of the state executive council.
The two-term assemblyman took over from Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Fahmi Zainol, who was removed after being charged in court on Feb 27 over a domestic violence case.
Goh, 52, who joined PKR in 1999, is Penang PKR deputy chairman.
A graduate of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), he is a town planner by training and began his career as a town and rural planning officer with the Penang Development Corporation before founding GCA Planning Consultants.
He served three terms as a councillor with the Seberang Perai Municipal Council, now the Seberang Perai City Council before being elected into the state legislature.
Goh became Bukit Tambun assemblyman in 2018 and retained the seat in the 2023 state election.
Yesterday, he was sworn in before Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Ramli Ngah Talib at Seri Mutiara.
Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Goh said he would give priority to supporting local businesses and small and medium enterprises.
He pledged to work with federal agencies to expand trade opportunities and help companies reach wider markets.
Goh also voiced his appreciation to party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for nominating him to the post and to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow for placing trust in him to oversee the trade and national unity portfolio.
In his remarks, Chow said the portfolio is important given the current economic climate.
“Traders, whether small, medium or large, are facing various challenges, including pressures related to the cost of living,” he said.
As for national unity, he cited local and global issues that could undermine racial harmony.
The latest reshuffle also saw some portfolios being split.
Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid, who was previously in charge of “Islamic development, education and higher education, and national unity” will now oversee “Islamic development, education and higher education, and cooperative development”.
The portfolio of Rashidi Zinol, who oversaw “trade, rural development and entrepreneurship”, will now take care of “rural development, agrotechnology and food security, and entrepreneurship”.
As for Fahmi, he was previously the agrotechnology, food security and cooperative development committee chairman before his removal at PKR’s request.
Fahmi, 35, was suspended from his political posts pending the disposal of his court case after he was charged in the Magistrate’s Court with causing hurt to his wife.
He pleaded not guilty and case mention is set for April 28.
