The decision by Penang PKR to drop the representative from Penang Malay Chamber of Commerce as a local municipal councillor for next term was based on appraisal carried out by the party, and not due to political differences.



Penang PKR chief Zahrain Mohd Hashim said the party had requested the Pakatan Rakyat state government to drop the chamber’s representative Rizal Faris Mohideen as a councillor on Penang island due to his poor performance, not his political background.

"It was not a political decision as alleged by certain quarters. Our decision was based on our report card on the performance of all councillors.

"We learnt that the chamber’s representative had performed poorly," Zahrain (right), the Bayan Baru parliamentarian, told newsmen at his service centre in Penang today.

He cited Rizal’s frequent absenteeism from meetings and non-participation in policy decision-making process of the council as the main reasons.

"Our findings were from feedbacks from Pakatan councillors in MPPP and the public.

"If the chamber claimed PKR was wrong in its assessment, then it meant the grassroots had provided us the wrong information," he said, insisting that the party had taken a wise and rational stand to drop Rizal.

There are seven NGO appointees as councillors - four on the island and three on the mainland, apart from current political appointees - 21 in MPPP and 22 in MPSP.

Early this month, the state Pakatan leadership decided to drop certain NGO-based councillors due to poor performance to make way for others.

Be more welfare-orientated

It is reliably learnt that the chamber’s leadership had coerced an affiliate, the nearly 400-strong Penang Pasar Malam Malay Traders Association president Yusoff Mohd to issue a press statement on Jan 6 to refute Zahrain's allegation of poor performance by Rizal..

Three days later, Yusoff resigned from his position due to chamber’s pressure.

Revealing this, Yusoff said he did not want to issue the statement as he felt that the association should not be dragged into the chamber’s political game.

Zahrain said he was saddened by the chamber’s attitude, but reiterated his party stance to have Rizal dropped.

Rizal could not be reached for comments today.

Meanwhile, Zahrain called on MPPP and MPSP to be more flexible and lenient in taking action on illegal roadside traders, fast mushrooming in the urbanised island state due to the current economic downturn.

"The global recession has forced many to look for a second income, mainly hawking. The councils should be more welfare-orientated and pro-active in resolving this illegal hawking problem amicably rather than being rigid in the application of the laws" he said.

PKR wants the councils to organise and legalise these mushrooming unlicenced traders to enable them to earn a decent income.