Penang Pakatan Harapan will retain its BN executive councillor despite closer BN-PN cooperation, says PH chairman and Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
GEORGE TOWN: Penang Pakatan Harapan (PH) will retain the Barisan Nasional (BN) executive councillor in the state government, in line with the electoral pact reached for the 2023 state election, said Penang PH chairman Chow Kon Yeow.
Chow, who is also Chief Minister, said the decision was reached at the coalition’s meeting today, which also discussed preparations for the next general election.
“There is still room for us to strengthen cooperation among the component parties and accelerate the reform agenda that forms the basis of Pakatan Harapan’s struggle, including economic reform, governance reform, institutional strengthening and the rule of law,” he said at a press conference after the meeting with coalition leaders at Wisma DAP today.
Chow said PH could not afford to become too comfortable with its record in government, as public perception and sentiment could move faster than facts.
He said PH had a strong record in administration, including maintaining stable and integrity-driven governance, driving economic growth, attracting investment and creating jobs.
However, he said the coalition needed to communicate its achievements more effectively.
“Too many of our achievements are drowned out because we are slow in providing explanations, less aggressive in conveying information and often allow the opposition to determine the topics of discussion,” he said.
Chow said PH also needed to take greater control of the political narrative, including being prepared to acknowledge its own weaknesses where necessary.
The coalition also needed to strengthen its presence in the digital space to counter racial and hate-based political narratives with facts that were relevant to people’s realities and easily understood by all sections of society, he said.
He said PH would study the results of the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections, with every seat in Penang to be analysed from various angles.
Chow said every leader, election machinery and component party must continue working as one team with a common objective.
He said the aim was to ensure Penang remained a strong PH stronghold, a symbol of public confidence and a political fortress that must continue to be strengthened.
“From Penang, we need to create a new wave that restores the people’s confidence in PH throughout the country,” he said.
Chow said today’s meeting marked the starting point for a more aggressive, organised and disciplined movement ahead of the next general election.
“We are not merely seeking to defend what we still have, but to expand public support and build momentum for victory in the next general election,” he said.
The meeting comes amid growing concern within PH over closer cooperation between BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Chow had warned on Aug 2 that BN-PN cooperation posed a major challenge to PH’s survival in the next general election, while saying predictions by PAS leaders that PH would lose federal power and Penang should not be dismissed.
On Aug 5, Chow said Penang PH would discuss BN’s position in the state government at today’s meeting following BN’s cooperation with PN in the Negeri Sembilan election.
When asked if PH was prepared to work with PN in response to the BN-PN pact, Chow said the electoral pact reached in 2023 was between PH and BN only.
He added that the electoral pact would remain in place until the end of the term.
