According to the report, Deputy Chief Minister I Mohd Rashid Hasnon said there had been no official decision on the replacement for Kebun Bunga assemblyman Cheah Kah Peng, who was removed after abstaining to vote on a land reclamation motion raised by Umno in the state assembly.

Mohd Rashid said he was seeking a meeting with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to discuss the replacement and that it was not necessary for the replacement to be a member of PKR.

“This is a relatively small issue. Officially, there has been nothing so far on the replacement and Lim has never mentioned this to me.

“As far as I know, there were arrangements for an internal meeting between PKR and Lim,” the portal quoted the state PKR vice-chairman as saying.

In Bukit Mertajam, PKR deputy president Mohamad Azmin Ali confirmed he had asked his political secretary to send the letter to Lim for a meeting and stressed that he was not interfering in Penang’s policies but merely conveying the decision made by the party’s leadership.

Yesterday, FMT reported that Penang Opposition politicians had reacted angrily to news that Loke, a non-Penangite was given an important role in the state government through his appointment as a PHC director.

Loke had confirmed the appointment after Lim invited him to be on the board. He also told Malay Mail Online yesterday that he was qualified for the position by virtue of being the party’s parliamentary representative for tourism and culture.