Government of Penang explained

Penang State Government
Native Name:Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang
Seal:Coat of arms of Penang.svg
Headquarters:George Town
Budget:RM 1.047 billion (2024)[1]
Minister1 Pfo:Chief Minister
Deputyminister1 Pfo:Deputy Chief Minister I
Deputyminister2 Pfo:Deputy Chief Minister II
Chief1 Name:Rosli Isa
Chief1 Position:State Secretary
Chief2 Name:Roslinda Mohd Shafie
Chief2 Position:State Legal Adviser
Chief3 Name:Zabidah Safar
Chief3 Position:State Financial Officer
Parent Agency:Government of Malaysia
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The Government of Penang (Malay: Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang) refers to the government authority of the Malaysian state of Penang. The state government adheres to and is created by both the Constitution of Malaysia, the supreme law of Malaysia, and the Constitution of the State of Penang, the supreme law in Penang. The government of Penang is based in the state's capital city of George Town.

The state government consists of only two branches - executive and legislative. The Penang State Executive Council forms the executive branch, whilst the Penang State Legislative Assembly is the legislature of the state government. Penang's head of government is the chief minister. The state government does not have a judiciary branch, as Malaysia's judicial system is a federalised system operating uniformly throughout the country.[2] [3]

Executive

Head of government

See main article: List of Chief Ministers of Penang. The Chief Minister is the head of government in Penang. He is officially appointed by the Governor, Penang's head of state, on the basis of the latter's judgement that the former commands the confidence of the majority of the State Assemblymen in the Penang State Legislative Assembly.[4] The Chief Minister and his Executive Council shall be collectively responsible to Legislative Assembly. The Office of the Chief Minister is situated inside Komtar in George Town.The current Chief Minister of Penang is Chow Kon Yeow of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which controls the most seats in the State Legislative Assembly among the Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties. Chow was sworn in on 14 May 2018, after the 2018 State Election that saw the PH coalition retaining power in Penang.[5] To this day, Penang remains the only Malaysian state where the position of the head of government has been continuously held by an ethnic Chinese since the nation's independence in 1957.[6]

Notably, Penang is also the only Malaysian state which appoints two Deputy Chief Ministers - one representing the Malay community and the other an ethnic Indian.[7] This serves to shape a top leadership consisting of various backgrounds, representing the diverse ethnicities of the state.

Cabinet

See main article: Penang State Executive Council. The Penang State Executive Council forms the executive branch of the Penang state government and is analogous in function to the Malaysian federal Cabinet. The Executive Council comprises the Chief Minister, and between four and 10 other State Assemblymen from the Penang State Legislative Assembly. Aside from these, three other ex officio members of the Executive Council are the State Secretary, the State Legal Adviser and the State Financial Officer.

Following the 2018 State Election, the members of the Executive Council are as follows.[8]

NamePositionPortfolio
Chow Kon YeowChief MinisterLand affairs and development
Transportation
Information
Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul RahmanDeputy Chief Minister IIndustrial development
Islamic affairs
Community relations
Ramasamy PalanisamyDeputy Chief Minister IIEconomic planning
Education
Human resources
Science, technology and innovation
H'ng Mooi LyeExecutive CouncillorLocal government
Housing
Urban and rural planning
Zairil Khir JohariExecutive CouncillorFlood mitigation
Public works
Utilities
Abdul Halim HussainExecutive CouncillorDomestic and international trade
Consumer affairs
Entrepreneurial development
Norlela AriffinExecutive CouncillorHealth
Agriculture and agro-based industries
Rural development
Phee Boon PohExecutive CouncillorWelfare
Caring society
Environment
Chong EngExecutive CouncillorWomen and family development
Gender inclusiveness
Non-Islamic religious affairs
Yeoh Soon HinExecutive CouncillorTourism development and heritage
Arts and culture
Soon Lip CheeExecutive CouncillorYouth
Sports

Legislature

See main article: Penang State Legislative Assembly. The Penang State Legislative Assembly is the legislative branch of the Penang state government. The unicameral legislature consists of 40 seats that represent the 40 state constituencies within Penang, with each constituency being represented by an elected State Assemblyman. The Legislative Assembly convenes at the Penang State Assembly Building in George Town.

The legislature has a maximum mandate of five years by law and follows a multi-party system; the ruling party (or coalition) is elected through a first-past-the-post system. The Governor may dissolve the legislature at any time and usually does so upon the advice of the Chief Minister.

A Speaker is elected by the Legislative Assembly to preside over the proceedings and debates of the legislature. The Speaker may or may not be an elected State Assemblyman; in the case of the latter, the elected Speaker shall become a member of the Legislative Assembly additional to the elected State Assemblymen already in the legislature.

Departments, agencies and statutory bodies

Departments

Agencies

Statutory bodies

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Penang tables deficit budget for 2024, 13th since 2011. New Straits Times. 24 November 2023. 13 April 2024.
  2. Jeong Chun Hai @ Ibrahim, & Nor Fadzlina Nawi. (2012). Principles of Public Administration: Malaysian Perspectives. Kuala Lumpur: Pearson Publishers.
  3. Web site: Constitution of Malaysia. 27 May 2018. 14 May 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110514094615/http://confinder.richmond.edu/admin/docs/malaysia.pdf. dead.
  4. Constitution of the State of Penang. Penang State Legislative Assembly.
  5. News: Chow Kon Yeow sworn in as Penang CM. 2018-05-14. Free Malaysia Today. 2018-05-14. en-US.
  6. Book: Brash, Celeste. Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Penang. Lonely Planet. 2008. 978-1-74104-485-0.
  7. Web site: Two DCMs for Penang. The Star. 2018-05-26.
  8. News: Civil engineer Zaki made Penang deputy CM 1. 2018-05-16. Free Malaysia Today. 2018-05-16. en-US. 2 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200402152509/https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/05/16/civil-engineer-zaki-made-penang-deputy-cm-1/. dead.
  9. Web site: Portal Rasmi Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang. 5 December 2023. 3 June 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230603020720/https://www.penang.gov.my/. dead.
  10. Web site: Penang State Treasury Department. 26 September 2021.
  11. Web site: Laman Web Rasmi Jabatan Mufti - Home. 26 September 2021.
  12. Web site: Utama. 26 September 2021.
  13. Web site: Portal Rasmi Pejabat Pengarah Tanah dan Galian Pulau Pinang - Latest News. 26 September 2021.
  14. Web site: Jabatan Perancang Bandar dan Desa Negeri Pulau Pinang (PLANMalaysia Pulau Pinang). 26 September 2021.
  15. Web site: Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri Pulau Pinang. 26 September 2021.
  16. Web site: Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran Pulau Pinang. 26 September 2021.
  17. Web site: ...:::Jabatan Kerja Raya Pulau Pinang:::.... 26 September 2021. 21 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180521191605/http://ppinang.jkr.gov.my/. dead.
  18. Web site: Utama. 26 September 2021.
  19. Web site: Home. 26 September 2021.
  20. Web site: Penang Veterinary Services Department. 26 September 2021.
  21. Web site: Jabatan Perhutanan Negeri Pulau Pinang - HOME. 26 September 2021.
  22. Web site: Penang Botanic Gardens Department. 26 September 2021.
  23. Web site: PDC Official Website. pdc.gov.my. en-gb. 2018-05-27.
  24. Web site: Penang Public Library Corporation. Penang State Government.
  25. Web site: Penang State Museum Board. Penang State Government.
  26. Web site: Laman Web Rasmi Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Pulau Pinang. mainpp.gov.my. ms-my. 2018-05-27.
  27. Web site: Home. penanghill.gov.my. en-gb. 2018-05-27.
  28. Web site: Home. gtwhi.com.my. en-gb. 2018-05-27. 18 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210118045855/https://gtwhi.com.my/. dead.
  29. Web site: Invest Penang. investpenang.gov.my. 2018-05-27.
  30. Web site: Penang Career Assistance & Talent Centre. Penang State Government.
  31. Web site: Penang Global Tourism. Penang State Government.
  32. Web site: Penang Green Council. Penang State Government.
  33. Web site: Penang Hindu Endowment Board. 26 September 2021.
  34. Web site: Penang Institute of Integrity. Penang State Government. 27 May 2018. 28 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200628041218/http://www.iinppi.com.my/. dead.
  35. Web site: Halal Penang - Home. Idris. Imran. halalpenang.com. en-gb. 2018-05-27. 22 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210222163848/https://www.halalpenang.com/. dead.