PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali today said that the party's political bureau has upheld a decision to defend its two state assemblypersons in Penang whose directorships in state-linked companies were recently terminated.

"The political bureau has made a decision before this to defend them. We also oppose the move to terminate their appointments.

"We will defend them because they were merely playing their roles as elected representatives to provide feedback to the state government," Azmin told reporters when met at the PKR Bukit Lanjan Chinese New Year celebrations in Seri Damansara.

Malaysiakini yesterday reported that two PKR assemblypersons who abstained from voting against an Umno motion to halt all reclamation projects in Penang, in the November sitting of the state legislative assembly, had their directorship in GLCs terminated .

Bukit Tengah assemblyperson Ong Chin Wen, who is also PKR’s whip in the state legislative assembly, was terminated as a director in Penang Invest and Island Golf Properties Bhd, a subsidiary company of Penang Development Corporation, the state’s development arm.

Similarly, Kebun Bunga assemblyperson Cheah Kah Peng was dropped as director in the Penang Hill Corporation.

Commenting further, the Selangor menteri besar said the PKR political bureau had sent a letter to the DAP-led Penang state government, in hope that the matter could be discussed in a harmonious manner.

“They did not slander (any parties). We are against the culture of lies and slander. As elected representatives, they were merely providing feedback and their views. This should be welcomed and there was no need to take any action,” Azmin stressed.

'Duo told not to sign termination letters'

Meanwhile, PKR vice-president Tian Chua told Malaysiakini that the party’s political bureau at its meeting last Wednesday had instructed the two assemblypersons not to sign their termination letters.

Asked on Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng’s statement that the duo were removed because he had lost confidence in their ability to function professionally, Tian Chua also said that removing them would not be the best way to build trust within the state government.

“When there are differences in opinion, discussing the differences would be the best way to build trust.

“Don’t make the assumption that they are against Lim. We hope the chief minister will understand that we have no ill intentions,” he said.

Lim previously explained that the duo incurred the wrath of their colleagues in the state government when they had earlier agreed not to support the Umno motion, which was filed by Pulau Betong assemblyperson Muhammad Farid Saad in November last year.

He said the duo had effectively "backstabbed" the state-government when they abstained from voting against the motion.

The Penang government was severely criticised for planning to carry out reclamation projects in the south of the island as part of the Transport Master Plan but Lim had reportedly said the projects have yet to be approved.

He also said the state has been holding public consultation exercises with various stakeholders affected by the project.