When BN-led Putrajaya approved the Penang Pakatan Rakyat government’s application to upgrade Penang Island to city status, it set tongues wagging that the relationship between the two is finally “thawing”.

This relationship has always been seen as "cold", for Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has been taking Putrajaya to task for not cooperating with the state, especially in areas of state jurisdiction, such as transportation.

The state often felt handicapped with its inability to upgrade transport services without federal permission.

However, Penang executive council member Chow Kon Yeow said the approval for the Penang Island City Council was more of an administrative matter, rather than a political one.

“Over the past seven years, we have not seen great problems in state and federal cooperation. If there were great problems, the federal government would not have implemented so many projects here,” Chow said in an interview.

“They (Putrajaya) can always say since the electrified double track railway involves Penang (in Seberang Perai), we shall stop the project or divert it to Kelantan, but that is not possible,” he added.

Other federal-funded infrastructure projects in Penang include the expansion and upgrade of the Penang Bridge, Penang International Airport and Penang Port as well as the construction of the Second Penang Bridge, and the Juru-Sungai Dua bypass.

The Padang Kota assemblyperson said since 2008, when Pakatan seized Penang from BN, he has always argued for a closer state-federal working relationship to benefit the people.

“The fact is that Penang is now run by Pakatan, Putrajaya has to accept this, likewise, we accept that the federal government is under BN,” said Chow, who is state DAP chief.

“Within the confines of laws and policies, every state should be treated equally, until and unless political considerations come in to disrupt this relationship,” he added.

Accompanying Chow in the interview was Penang Island City Council’s (MBPP) first woman mayor Patahiyah Ismail ( left ).

Penang Island was granted city status since Jan 1 this year, and tomorrow, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang, Abdul Rahman Abbas, will hand over the letter declaring Penang Island a city and Patahiyah’s appointment letter as mayor.

The council was formerly known as the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP), which has been running the local government alongside the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) on the mainland.

‘People’s expectations would be more’

Although no extra powers have been granted to MBPP officials with the advent of the city status, people’s expectations for better services from the council would be more, said Patahiyah.

“And in order to provide better services so that we can spend more on such projects, all departments under the new MBPP would have to work harder. For example, we would have to go all out to get people to pay up their assessment fees,” Patahiyah said.

However, Patahiyah said that the needs of Penangites would be the priority in implementation of services or projects in the island.

“In the past, when we want to carry out a project, we went ahead and did it but this time, it will be different as I have given instructions that the projects must include the needs of the community,” she assured.

Asked about her personal feelings on being appointed the first woman mayor, Patahiyah said she felt happy that she could contribute to the MBPP.

“While I appreciate the recognition given to the state, I also know that this job entails heavy responsibilities,” she said.

“The expectations of Penangites are very heavy, all of us in MBPP have to work really hard to meet their needs,” she added.