Newly sworn-in Penang opposition leader Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor said Barisan Nasional was ready to lead the state’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as chairman.

“It is stated in the Pakatan Harapan state manifesto that the opposition leader will be appointed PAC chairman.

“If offered the post, we will accept it. If not, we will still have our representatives appointed to the committee,” he told reporters at the state legislative assembly building, today.

The opposition has only three representatives in the 40-member assembly after Pakatan Harapan won 37 state seats in the 14th general election on May 9. BN won two and PAS, one.

Yusoff of Umno is the most senior assemblyman in the opposition. He is the Sungai Dua rep for the second term.

The other two in the opposition – Permatang Berangan rep Nor Hafizah Othman (BN) and Penaga rep Yusni Mat Piah (PAS) – are first-term assemblymen.

Yusoff said although vastly outnumbered, the three state reps would try to be a constructive and dynamic opposition for check and balance.

“We will raise people issues during the debates. Like floods, the Penang Transport Master Plan, housing, jobs, rates, hill clearing and others.

“We will also talk about economic programmes that can increase income for locals, namely the poor and the youth.”

Hafizah and Yusni said they would keep track of PH’s manifesto pledges to make sure the government fulfilled it promises to the people.

“We will not simply oppose for the sake of opposing. We will study the policies and support what is good for the people,” Yusni said.

BN had 11 and 10 assemblymen the 2008-2013 and 2013-2018 terms, respectively. PAS was previously a part of the state government. – August 2, 2018.