The Penang government announced today that NGOs would only be given seven municipal council seats and that these may include representatives from the business community.

In 2008, some of the 10 slots set aside for NGOs were taken up by business representatives, causing disappointment among the NGOs.

State exco for local government, traffic management and environment Chow Kon Yeow, who made the announcement at a press conference today, said four of the NGO seats would be in the Penang municipal council (MPPP) and three in the Seberang Perai council (MPSP).

Chow ( left ), who is Tanjung MP, said he expected 20 percent of the new councillors to be new faces.

The state would have a challenging task picking the councillors, he said, because political parties such as PAS and PKR have also submitted their lists.

The Penang DAP alone has submitted 50 nominees, said Chow, adding that the first round of interviews would be conducted this weekend.

"Besides myself as the party's selection committee head, Lim Hock Seng and Jagdeep Singh Deo, as well as three non-party members who are former municipal councillors, will interview the candidates," he said.

"They include lawyer Lim Kah Cheng and academicians Francis Loh and Goh Ban Lee," he added after chairing a public forum on local government issues.

Last month, a mock election organised by local civil society groups voted 10 people to fill the NGO quota for the 2011-12 term, five each for the Penang and Seberang Perai councils. The names have been submitted to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.