DEPUTY Penang Chief Minister I Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman is in the hospital after experiencing chest pains today.

The first-time Pinang Tunggal assemblyman had three back-to-back events this morning, starting with a meeting with school headmasters at a hotel at 9.30am.

After meeting with Welfare Department representatives in the second event, while on the way to the third at the Kepala Batas Industrial Training Institute about noon,  Zakiyuddin was stricken by pain in the chest.

Zakiyuddin was rushed to the KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital in Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam.

His aide Muhasdey Muhamad said the early diagnosis was a minor stroke.

Zakiyuddin has since been transferred to the Penang Hospital on the island, he said.

“He was at the KPJ ICU (intensive care unit). Now he is at Penang Hospital for an angiogram procedure.

“But his condition is stable. He can speak. His son is with him. It seems that the doctor wants him to rest,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Muhasdey said his boss had been keeping a busy schedule since winning the general election and appointed deputy chief minister I.

Zakiyuddin, 60, is a Salford University-trained professional civil engineer.

The PKR man first contested in the Pinang Tunggal state seat in Kepala Batas in the 2013 general election but lost to the incumbent Roslan Saidin from BN.

He contested for the seat again in the 14th general election and defeated Roslan by a slim margin of 127 votes in a three-cornered fight . – July 5, 2018.