PENANG Perikatan Nasional (PN) has yet appoint the opposition leader in the state legislative assembly as the decision lies with the coalition’s leadership.

Sungai Dua assemblyman Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff, who is also Penang PAS commissioner, said the state PN had already sent a list of candidates for consideration.

“We are trying to resolve this (opposition leader post) but it could not be finalised this morning and we hope the PN central leadership will come to a decision soon so that a letter can be issued to the Penang legislative assembly secretary.

“We have shortlisted representatives from PAS and Bersatu. The candidate for the Opposition leader post will be announced before the state assembly convenes in November,” he told reporters after the swearing-in ceremony for 40 assemblymen in George Town today.

He said that among the names proposed to the leadership were his and Penang Bersatu chief Zulkefli Bakar, who is also Penanti assemblyman.

Fauzi denied there was a problem in deciding on the appointment of the opposition leader and said that it was being finalised by the PN leadership.

“It is not an issue. In fact this is also being finalised in the other states, such as Selangor and Negri Sembilan,” he said.

The Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) coalition won 29 out of the 40 state assembly seats in the August 12 elections.

DAP managed to retain all 19 state seats it won in the 2018 general election while PKR (seven), Amanah (one) and BN (two).

PN won 11 seats with PAS controlling seven seats, namely Sungai Dua, Permatang Pasir, Pulau Betong, Sungai Bakap, Permatang Berangan, Pinang Tunggal and Penaga, while Bersatu won four in Penanti, Telok Ayer Tawar, Telok Bahang and Seberang Jaya.

Previously, the state’s pposition leader was former Bertam assemblyman Khaliq Mehtab Ishaq while former Sungai Dua assemblyman from BN, Muhamad Yusoff Noor, was the opposition leader from August 2018 until the BN-PH alliance formed the unity government. – Bernama, August 29, 2023.