Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has defended the controversial six-month bonus payout for Penang Development Corporation (PDC) staff, emphasising that it was merit-based and linked to performance metrics.

In a written statement to Air Putih assemblyperson Lim Guan Eng, Chow said that bonus payment was awarded to only a quarter of PDC employees, whilst the remaining staff received five months' salary as compensation for their "excellent results", according to Free Malaysia Today.

He explained that the decision was...