WHY THE DELAY IN NAMING DEPUTY CM

Lim puts off naming deputy CM

The much-anticipated announcement by the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on who would be the new deputy chief minister (1) did not materialise today.

Lim said that the post would remain vacant until PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim finalises his candidate for the post.

Lim said the delay would also allow Anwar to resolve internal party issues first.

The post became vacant following the resignation of Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin on April 8.

"Anwar is unable to accede to my request to make recommendation to fill in the empty exco seat and the appointment of a new DCM1.

"While I am disappointed with the delay, I fully understand the various political pressures that Anwar is facing in recommending appointments to these positions," he said in a statement today.
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Lim said that following Anwar's indication earlier that the replacement must be Malay, many questions have been asked by the people, such as:

• Why was the exco position not filled by Maktar Shapee, the Sungai Bakap representative who is the only Malay PKR state representative available for the position?

• Why the delay in choosing either Maktar or exco member Abdul Malik Abdul Kassim as the deputy chief minister - the only two Malay state representatives from PKR, apart from Mohammad Fairus?
  

• Is the delay caused by Anwar to prepare for a by-election in Penanti, whose present state representative was Mohammad Fairus?

"I am confident that Anwar will answer and explain fully all questions after he had decided on who he wants to recommend to be appointed," added Lim.