The Penang Malay Congress (PMC) has urged Prime Minister Najib Razak to appoint an Umno leader as the state BN chief.

This appears to be the most logical conclusion as the party singularly won 10 seats while their non-Malay allies failed miserably to secure any in the just concluded polls, said the local-based NGO.

PMC president Rahmad Isahak ( left ) NONE said Najib should do so as this is the "appropriate and critical time to do it".

He even welcomed Najib to lead the Penang team, saying "symbolically it would return Malay support to Umno".

"The geopolitical situation in Penang is clear that the Malays are losing power," Rahmad told Malaysiakini .

He added that the spirit of cooperation among the BN component parties in Penang (where the post of state chairperson is given to Gerakan) is no longer relevant.

"Our Chinese friends no longer care about the position as it does not bring them any benefits," he stressed.

Now Malays can strengthen themselves

NONE When contacted, state BN chief Teng Chang Yeow, ( right ) declined to comment on the issue, saying, "I do not know".

He added that he was currently overseas, and had tendered his resignation from the post including his position as Gerakan secretary-general. "I have nothing to say any more," was his brief response.

Meanwhile, Rahmad pointed out that the Chinese community has clearly shown that they reject the BN and it was pointless to appeal for their sympathies.

He said that by securing 10 seats - one seat less than 2008 - Umno may be able to strengthen the position of the Malays in the coming five years despite being on the opposition bench.

"Although there are three Malay state executive councillors in Penang, they do not have the full support of the Malay community, compared to Umno which won in Malay majority seats," said Rahmad.

"If we look at it rationally, what is the point of giving the post to Gerakan when they have been totally rejected by the community?" he asked.

Rahmad said that the NGO would continue to provide "constructive criticism" to the three Malay excos in Penang if they failed to improve the community's conditions.

Spewing forth unsolicited advice

The former court staff member had tried his luck at the May 5 polls, but was whipped by PKR's Batu Maung assemblyperson Abdul Malik Abu Kassim.

The three from PKR in the state exco are Deputy Chief Minister Rashid Hasnon, Abdul Malik as state Islamic Affairs, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairperson and Agriculture and Agro-based Industries, Rural Development and Health Committee chief Dr Afif Bahardin.

"Speak out and do not act like mere puppets," he told the trio who won the Pantai Jerejak, Batu Maung and Seberang Jaya seats respectively.

Rahmad expressed hope that affordable housing projects can be developed on gazetted plots of land belonging to the Penang Islamic Affairs Council for the community's benefit.