Bertam assemblyman Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq said this will enable the opposition to better monitor the performance of the Pakatan Harapan-led state government.
He said Afif’s experience as a two-term state executive councillor will prove very valuable to the opposition.
“We are happy to hear that he is with PPBM and we welcome him to make Penang better in all ways,” he told FMT.
Opposition leader Muhammad Yusoff Mohd Noor said Afif could voice out the people’s problems in the assembly.
“This will strengthen the opposition bench. As a former exco member, he will have a deeper insight into how certain matters can be improved or fixed.
“I hope we can sit down, discuss and share ideas for the betterment of the state government and address issues affecting the rakyat,” he said when contacted.
Afif, when contacted, told FMT: “In the next state assembly meeting, I will be sitting as a PPBM rep.”
Bernama had quoted him as saying he had not submitted his membership application yet but had informed party president Muhyiddin Yassin that he would be joining PPBM.
Penang PKR chief Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik said Afif had been “expelled” by the party’s disciplinary board.
Speculation about Sungai Acheh rep Zulkifli Ibrahim
Meanwhile, there is speculation that PKR’s Sungai Acheh assemblyman Zulkifli Ibrahim would also cross over to the opposition camp by declaring himself to be Perikatan Nasional-friendly.
Zulkifli recently accepted a position as board member of the Farmers Organisation Authority (LPP) from the agriculture ministry.
He was also seen with Muhyiddin during a meeting in Putrajaya yesterday, along with Afif and other PN-aligned assemblymen.
Penang PKR, in a statement, had said that Zulkifli’s actions had been reported to the party’s disciplinary committee for investigation.
“There is proof that he has been in cahoots with traitors. He has also shown that he has betrayed the mandate of the voters and also launched a tirade against our president, Anwar Ibrahim, who had given him a chance to contest in the last general election,” Bakhtiar said in a statement.
Without Zulkifli, Penang’s opposition bench will see a change in numbers, with PPBM holding three seats, Umno two and PAS one.
A source within the opposition bench says that a new opposition leader is likely to be appointed, based on the new numbers on the bench.
Penang’s 40-member assembly has 34 PH members. Of the PH members, DAP has 19, PKR 13 (including Zulkifli), and Amanah two.
Penang PH still strong with a big majority, says CM
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the Penang PH government remained strong as it “had the majority and held the mandate of the people”. He said this in response to a query on Zulkifli’s appearance with Muhyiddin.
Last month, constitutional experts told FMT that while Penang’s anti-hopping law may be applied to reps switching alliance, it was likely to be rejected in the courts as the law may be considered to be unconstitutional because the Federal Constitution allows freedom of association.
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