Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said PAS representatives have no choice but to exit the state government, after the PAS muktamar yesterday approved a motion to sever ties with DAP.

"Following the passage of the motion, without allowing for any debate to sever ties with DAP, PAS representatives have no choice but to resign from the Penang state government and its agencies, as well as municipal councillors and village development and security committees (JKKK).

"Whilst I enjoy friendly and good working relations with many PAS representatives, I understand they would have to resign for ethical and moral reasons.

"It would be politically untenable for them to remain in the Penang state government led by me in my capacity as DAP secretary-general, when the PAS muktamar has severed relations with DAP," he said in a statement today.

Lim also described PAS' decision to cut ties with DAP but yet remain in Pakatan Rakyat, which comprises DAP, PKR and PAS as "self-contradictory".

"Pakatan works on the consensus of all three parties and no one party can decide on Pakatan's behalf.

"However, PAS has the freedom and right to sever relations with the DAP," he said.

Lim said in the eventuality, resignations of PAS represe ntatives will not affect the stability of the Penang government.

"With the present 30 out of 40 Penang state assembly seats, without the PAS single state assemblyperson, Penang Pakatan will still have 29 seats and a comfortable two-thirds majority," he said.

During his winding up speech at the PAS muktamar today, Mohamad Sabu said he will resign this week , in accordance with the party's pending decision to cut ties with DAP.

Mohamad presently sits on the boards of the Penang Water Corporation and the Penang Halal Hub.

Business as usual for Selangor

Meanwhile, PAS Selangor exco member Iskandar Abdul Samad ( photo ) said Selangor’s administration will proceed as usual as the Syura Council had yet to make a decision on the motion.

“The state administration will go on as usual. As I have said before, it is not certain whether the motion will be accepted or otherwise.

“Selangor doesn’t have any problems,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the PAS’ muktamar today.

He added that the exco members will continue their work as usual as they are responsible to the rakyat.

“The rakyat have chosen us under Pakatan Rakyat so if we stop (carrying out duties), we would be betraying the rakyat,” he said.