Another First ever as Cabinet ministers of Malaysia sit as backbenchers in a state assembly in Penang

Ministers Guan Eng, Saifuddin make history as backbenchers in Penang

Thursday, 2 Aug 201810:32 AM MYT
by arnold loh, chong kah yuan, and sarah yeoh

Lim Guan Eng (front, right) and Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (front, left) at the Penang State Assembly. -Starpic



GEORGE TOWN: The first ever Cabinet ministers of Malaysia to sit as backbenchers in a state assembly – Penang's as it happens – have been given seats facing the Speaker.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail are positioned side by side at the U-end of the horseshoe layout, beside the seats of the state executive councillors.


To Lim's left is Phee Boon Poh, and Saifuddin's right is Teh Lai Heng (PH-Komtar), followed by Lim Siew Khim (PH-Sungai Pinang).

No other Cabinet minister has ever served at the same time as a backbencher in any state assembly in Malaysia.


He was nominated by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and no other names were submitted.

All the assemblymen then took their oaths individually.


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/08/02/ministers-guan-eng-saifuddin-make-history-as-backbenchers-in-penang/#XhY1PAlBoJHJu56P.99