THE Penang government has appointed four new faces to serve in the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) as councillors.
It has also reappointed 20 MBPP councillors to serve for the 2023 term, effective from Jan 1 to Aug 31.
The four new faces were Goh Huey Ee, Datuk Kamarudin Abdullah, Mohd Faruk Abdul Rahman, and Mohd Hafiz Abd Aziz.
Goh, 40, from the Alumni Sidang Wanita Pulau Pinang, and Islamic Propagation of Society International (IPSI) Malaysia president Datuk Kamarudin, 55, represented the non-governmental organisations; while Mohd Faruk and Mohd Hafiz represented Amanah.
The composition of MBPP councillors according to parties for the 2023 term are 10 from DAP, eight from PKR, two from Amanah and four from NGOs.
Lee Chee How from the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Nurhafiza Huda Idris from Persatuan Kemajuan Nusa Pulau Pinang were re-appointed as MBPP councillors under the NGO category. Mohd Faruk and Mohd Hafiz replaced Amanah’s Mohamed Yusoff Mohamed Noor and Muhamad Khairul Mohd Ali.
Goh, who is self-employed, said she was excited and ready to serve.
“I am happy to be chosen to serve the community as a councillor after three years of trying.
“I took part in three interviews before I was selected this term to serve. The spirit of serving the community has always been with me,” the mother of four children, said.
Goh said she was looking forward to mobilising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), specifically quality education and gender equality, locally.
“I have been actively involved in various women NGOs for the past 12 years.
“I would like to focus on matters concerning women and children.
“Children are our future. I hope to have more programmes that can promote family bonding between family members… between the children and their parents.
“Parents are usually the role models for the children,” she said after taking her oath in a swearing-in ceremony in the presence of Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, state Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo and MBPP mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang at City Hall this morning.
Kamarudin said he hoped to use his experience to promote George Town as a harmonious and tourism-friendly city for everyone.
Mohd Faruk, 40, said he would focus on dignifying small entrepreneurs and hawkers.
Meanwhile, Mohd Hafiz, 60, said he would try his best to improve the policies at the local government level.
Yew urged the appointed councillors to provide their best services to Penangites.
“Our mission remains the same which is to turn George Town into an intelligent, liveable, and happy city, besides strengthening George Town’s status as a cleaner, greener, safer, and healthier city,” he said.
He also welcomed the new faces and thanked the past councillors for their services to the community.
Jagdeep urged the councillors to maintain the excellent services provided to the people.
“The MBPP has obtained numerous recognition and awards. The challenge here is to maintain or go beyond those standards. Understand the state’s Penang2030 vision as you will be implementing the policies on the ground,” he said.
Chow said as a local government, it is bound to face numerous challenges.
“However, if these challenges are being addressed properly, they can bring goodness to the people and the state.
“The local government plays an important role. The councillors will be shouldering the responsibilities together with the Penang government,” he said.
Chow said both local councils (MBPP and the Seberang Perai City Council) have earned many achievements over the past 15 years.
“We thank everyone in the local government who has served all these years. However, this struggle has not ended.
“As what was mentioned by Jagdeep, we must maintain or go beyond those standards.
“We must not be complacent with our achievements. Strive to achieve more and do better,” he added.
Over in Seberang Perai, the composition of MBSP councillors according to parties for the 2023 term are 10 from DAP, nine from PKR, two from Amanah and three from NGOs.
Twenty-three councillors were reappointed for the 2023 term.
Newcomer Normahani Muhamad from Amanah was appointed, replacing Amanah’s Muhamad Suzuki Ahmad.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at Menara MBSP in the afternoon.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi and Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar