Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Rashid Hasnon said the village development and security (JKKK) committee members from PAS, who recently quit their posts, were actually sacked.

Rashid said the JKKK members from constituencies contested by PAS were issued termination letters last month, and told to vacate their posts.

He added that only JKKK presidents and secretaries who were PAS members were asked to quit.

“Their posts will be filled by Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah),” he said.

Rashid said the move came after Penang announced a Pakatan Harapan government comprising DAP, PKR and Amanah.

PAS was left out of the new coalition, which was launched on Sept 23, after the party accepted a proposal by its delegates at the annual muktamar (general assembly) to cut ties with DAP.

“We have started the process of terminating (their services) since they are unable to carry out the policies of the Pakatan Harapan government in Penang,” Rashid said at a press conference at the Penang legislative assembly today.

“It is not that they resigned but we have terminated them,” added the Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson.

Rashid said the move would affect PAS members in 293 JKKKs, where each committee has 15 members.

He was responding to Kepala Batas PAS commissioner Bukhori Ghazali who said 10 of its members were quitting the JKKKs after reviewing several reasons.

One of the reasons is the formation of a Pakatan Harapan government with Amanah in September.

Bukhori held a press conference in Kepala Batas last night, where the 10 declared their exit from the JKKKs.

Bukhori was also quoted by Bernama as saying that the quit decision was to protect the PAS members’ dignity from the continuous accusations that they are working with state leaders who insist on acting negatively towards the PAS top leadership.