PKR rebuffs CM's demands to sack councillor

PKR's state government representatives have flatly rejected Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's call to the party to sack its whip councillor Johari Kassim for openly objecting to the state's appointment of a civil servant to head the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP).

Some PKR 30 representatives, including state legislators, parliamentarians and councillors, reached the unanimous decision during a two-hour highly charged meeting in Komtar, George Town this evening.

Sources said all the representatives deliberated on the Lim Guan Eng's alleged call made to party state chairperson Zahrain Mohd Hashim ( left ) and concluded that "Johari had only brought up an issue which formed an integral part of PKR state agenda.

"Therefore PKR should support him, not sack him," they decided.

Some PKR representatives indeed have expressed frustration that DAP was dominating the state affairs and appointments to state bodies, overlooking PKR in the process.

Deputy Chief Minister 1 (DCM 1) Mansor Othman attended the meeting, but left after an hour to attend a pre-arranged function in Kubang Semang.

Chaired by Zahrain, the meeting was held to discuss the controversial and sudden appointment of former Northern Seberang Perai (SPU) chief Mokhtar Mohd Jait to head MPSP, a position PKR had demanded for its nominee since Pakatan Rakyat coalition stormed to power in the last year's general election.

The meeting also touched on the eight PKR MPSP councillors who did not attend Mokhtar's swearing-in on Thursday to express their frustration against state executive council's arbitrary decision.

PKR councillor Faird Arshad defied the boycott. DAP has 10 councillors in MPSP.

Zahrain however, declined to comment on Lim's alleged call to him to sack Johari, but said the party would request Mansor to accompany Johari to meet Lim and resolve the misunderstanding.

"We fully support Lim's leadership at the helm of Pakatan state government.

"We don't want this controversy to prolong. A handshake and frank discussion over the issue between Johari and Lim should put the matter to rest," Zahrain told a press conference.

Apologies from councillors accepted

However, he expressed disappointment that Lim's state executive council was not consulting PKR state leadership on various major issues, such as the appointment of local council presidents, before reaching a decision.

"We are not keen to interfere or get involved in the day to day running of the state government affairs.

"But at least, PKR views and opinions should be considered in the decision making process on major issues," said Zahrain.

On possible PKR disciplinary action on its defiant councillors, the state chief said the councillors have regretted their open outburst and apologised to the party, which was accepted.

Zahrain also informed that he would propose to hold a Pakatan state council meeting once a month.

The last held one was its inaugural meeting in January, in which Pakatan leadership agreed on principle to appoint politicians, replacing public officers, as heads of both MPSP and Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP).

State executive councillor in charge of local government and traffic management and state DAP chairperson Chow Kon Yeow has however said the state exco had rejected the proposal and decided to retain civil service appointment.

It's learnt that PKR executive councillors Mansor and Law Choo Kiang only knew about Mokhtar's appointment during the state exco meeting on Wednesday.

According to Zahrain, Law never played a part in the decision making process to appoint Mokhtar and was caught off guard with the sudden appointment, while Mansor was fresh to the subject matter as he was only sworn-in on Wednesday morning.

Abdul Malik under fire

However, he said he would try to find out whether the third PKR exco Abdul Malik Kassim ( photo ) was involved in the decision making process.

"I don't know whether Malik knew about this earlier. I will have to check with him," he told journalists.

During the meeting, Malik, who is on an official trip to Dubai, is learnt come under heavy fire from several PKR representatives for not communicating, referring and informing the state party leadership on many state government affairs.

One representative was said to have demanded Zahrain to find out whether or not Malik knew before hand that Lim had appointed Mokhtar.

"Look at his (Malik) face and ask him whether he knew about it or not," said the person, suggesting Malik's facial expression would reveal the truth.

The person even raised a question on whether "Malik was a black sheep in PKR's camp" at the end of a fiery argument.

Zahrain, who is also the Bayan Baru parliamentarian, further said PKR's proposal for politicians to helm councils was an interim measure for the transition period prior to staging the local government elections in Penang.

The state government is expected to table a motion at the next legislative sitting demanding the federal government to restore the third vote, which Zahrain said PKR would fully back.

"It's part of PKR election manifesto and Pakatan agenda to restore local council elections," he said.

Johari: I'm a party man

Johari ( right ) meanwhile declined to comment, saying only that he would abide by any party decision.

"I am a party man and will work for the party," he told Malaysiakini .

It's learnt that during meeting, Johari has ticked off PKR representatives for not backing him during the controversy, unlike DAP's representatives, like Jelutong parliamentarian Jeff Ooi and Lim's political secretary Ng Wei Aik who backed Lim on the issue.

"What I brought up was a party agenda, not a personal one.

"I am disappointed the state PKR assemblypersons and parliamentarians failed to support my call," he said.

Zahrain meanwhile denied that he had privately informed Lim that Johari wanted to become MPSP president.

"Why should I tell such a thing to the Chief Minister?" he asked.

Lim has alleged that Zahrain had informed him about Johari's ambition, seemingly to justify the whip councillor's open defiance against Mokhtar's appointment.

Crisis deepens in Penang Pakatan