ALL city councillors and public servants have been urged to embrace a more progressive and proactive approach in their duties to ensure the realisation of all themes under the Penang2030 vision.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow emphasised this during the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) swearing-in ceremony for city councillors at City Hall, Jalan Padang Kota Lama, this afternoon.
Chow congratulated the 24 councillors, comprising four new appointees and 20 reappointed members, who will serve a one-year term from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2025.
The chief minister expressed confidence in the newly appointed councillors, encouraging them to uphold MBPP’s tradition of excellence while enhancing its services.
“As liaisons between the state government and the people, I hope all councillors understand their roles and remain attuned to current situations to ensure productivity and the effective delivery of services. This aligns with the aim of advancing the Penang2030 vision – a Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation,” Chow said.
He highlighted the importance of the vision’s Initiative C4, which aims to accelerate institutional reforms and programme delivery.
“The strategic initiatives underpin critical reforms to improve governance, stimulate economic growth, foster social equity, and strengthen institutions, creating a more prosperous, equitable, and resilient nation,” Chow added.
In terms of party representation, 10 councillors are from DAP, eight from PKR, four from Amanah, one from Barisan Nasional (BN), and one from a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
The four new appointees are Nurhidayah Che Rose (PKR), Lee Wei Seang (DAP), T. Visvenathan (DAP) and Shahrul Hameed MK Mohamed Ishack (PKR). Only Visvenathan is the only fresh face as the other three had previously been councillors before.
Those retained are Alan Lim Wei Lun (DAP), Benji Ang Ming Quan (DAP), Koay Gaik Kee (DAP), Lee Seng Hwai (DAP), Rohaizat Hamid (DAP), Tan Soo Siang (DAP), Theng Jie Weng (DAP), Vickneson Rajendran (DAP), Hari Krisnan Ramakrishnan (PKR), Dr Mohd Suhairi Arumugam Abdullah (PKR), Chan Soon Aun (PKR), Shafiz Rahim Raja (PKR), Ooi Mei Mei (PKR), Mohd Roshidi Roslan (PKR), Muhammad Khairul Mohd Ali (Amanah), Zuraida Mohamad Arshad (Amanah), Mohamed Yusoff Mohamed Noor (Amanah), Mohamad Khairani Abd Shukor (Amanah), Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman (Umno) and Chen Wooi Teong (NGO).
Earlier in the day, Chow also attended the appointment ceremony for 24 councillors for the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP), which included six new faces, at Dewan Kenaga in the MBSP building.
The year 2025 marks the beginning of the second half of Chow’s final term as Penang’s chief minister and the transition into the third phase of the Penang2030 Vision.
Chow described MBPP as one of the best organisations, lauding its ability to adapt, optimise financial management, and enhance service delivery while adhering to good governance principles.
“This year, I hope MBPP will prioritise public amenities and infrastructure upgrades, which are crucial for taxpayers’ socio-economic well-being. I also urge the council to maintain cleanliness, implement greening initiatives, and advance urban beautification programmes,” Chow said.
Jason H’ng Mooi Lye, the state executive councillor for Local Government and Town & Country Planning, said although MBPP had secured several awards last year, there is still room for improvement.
“The councillors appointed have a crucial role to fulfil and we expect them to be dynamic,” he said.
MBPP mayor Datuk A. Rajendran urged all the 24 councillors to work as a team.
“In 2024, we focused on developing Penang as a smart city. This year is going to be full of challenges, but if all the councillors work as one team, we can overcome them for the benefit of the rakyat,” Rajendran said.
Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid, Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo, state executive councillors Datuk Seri Sundarajoo Soma, Lim Siew Khim, Daniel Gooi and Fahmi Zainol, state assemblymen Teh Lai Heng, Wong Yuee Harng and Lee Boon Heng, MBPP secretary Cheong Chee Heong, heads and representatives of various government departments and agencies.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Law Suun Ting
Video by Alissa Thian