The Selangor state government has yet to decide if it will allocate Parti Amanah Negara local council seats despite the fact that the current batch of councillors' tenure will end on Thursday.

Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah said this when asked if the government will allocate local councillor seats for the three-month old PAS' splinter party.

Selangor has 288 councillors – 120 seats were allocated to PKR while DAP and PAS have 98 and 70 respectively.

"As far as I know, the three parties have decided their list (of councillors). However, the state government has yet to decide on the list," he said at a press conference in Serdang today.

"It is up to the the Selangor mentri besar to make the call if any seats will be allocated to Amanah; the decision has yet to be made," he explained.

Ean Yong related that the MB is still discussing with the three parties.

"Hopefully, the appointments could be done next month," he added.

Though he is the exco for local government, new village development and the legalising of factories, Ean Yong said he was not in charge on the appointment of councillors.

The DAP has plans to inject new blood by replacing half of its councillors who been appointed for more than two terms or four years.

Meanwhile, Ean Yong announced exemption of assessment fees for 284,165 low-cost houses in Selangor and 446 villages in 2016.

Owners of properties priced at RM42,000 will stand to benefit. The total exempted assessment fees will be RM42.1 million.

Residents in the 369 traditional Malay villages, 42 new villages, 19 fishing villages and 16 planned villages will be exempted from paying assessment fees totalling RM14.83 million.

A total of 70,304 hawkers and small traders will also be exempted from paying licence fees in 2016, according to Ean Yong, the Seri Kembangan state assemblyperson.

'Not a populist move'

The announcement will benefit hawkers in markets, night markets, farmers' markets, local councils' stores and kiosks as well as bus stands. This will cause a reduction of RM7.2 million in revenue for the local government.

"This was announced by Menteri Besar Azmin Ali when he tabled Budget 2016 for Selangor," Ean Yong said.

"We know that recession will strike in the next two years, so this is a move to reduce the burden of the middle and lower income group," he said.

"This is not a populist move, this is what the people want to see," he added.

The state government will make up for the reduction in revenues of the local government, he said.

He also encouraged the local government to use its reserves to cover their developmental expenses.

Meanwhile, the state government has asked executive councillor for health Dr Daroyah Alwi to deal with the vape issue, said Ean Yong.

It was reported that the state government will consider whether to propose a ban on e-cigarette like what Kelantan and Johor had done.