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Chief Minister of Penang

Head of government of the Malaysian state of Penang


Head of government of the Malaysian state of Penang

FieldValue
postChief Minister
bodyPenang
native_nameKetua Menteri Pulau Pinang
insigniaCoat of arms of Penang.svg
insigniasize100px
insigniacaptionCoat of arms of Penang
imageChow Kon Yeow 2019.jpg
imagesize200px
incumbentChow Kon Yeow
incumbentsince
departmentGovernment of Penang
styleYang Amat Berhormat
member_ofPenang State Executive Council
reports_toPenang State Legislative Assembly
residenceSeri Teratai
appointerYang di-Pertua Negeri
termlengthFive years, renewable once
constituting_instrumentConstitution of the State of Penang
formation
inauguralWong Pow Nee
typeHead of government
website

The chief minister of Penang is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Penang. According to convention, the chief minister is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Penang State Legislative Assembly. The chief minister's official residence is Seri Teratai in the capital city of George Town.

The 5th and incumbent chief minister is Chow Kon Yeow, who assumed office on 14 May 2018. Chow succeeds his party colleague, Lim Guan Eng, who had served as the chief minister between 2008 and 2018.

Appointment

According to the state constitution, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang shall first appoint the chief minister to preside over the Executive Council and requires such chief minister to be a member of the Legislative Assembly who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Assembly and must not a Malaysian citizen by naturalisation or by registration. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri on the chief minister's advice shall appoint not more than ten nor less than four members from among the members of the Legislative Assembly.

The member of the Executive Council must take and subscribe in the presence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri the oath of office and allegiance as well as the oath of secrecy before they can exercise the functions of office. The Executive Council shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly. The members of the Executive Council shall not hold any office of profit and engage in any trade, business or profession that will cause conflict of interest.

If a government cannot get its appropriation (budget) legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly, or the Legislative Assembly passes a vote of "no confidence" in the government, the chief minister is bound by convention to resign immediately. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri's choice of replacement chief minister will be dictated by the circumstances. A member of the Executive Council other than the chief minister shall hold office during the pleasure of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, unless the appointment of any member of the Executive Council shall have been revoked by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on the advice of the chief minister but may at any time resign his office.

Following a resignation in other circumstances, defeated in an election or the death of a chief minister, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri will generally appoint as chief minister the person voted by the governing party as their new leader.

Powers

The power of the chief minister is subject to a number of limitations. Chief ministers removed as leader of his or her party, or whose government loses a vote of no confidence in the Legislative Assembly, must advise a state election or resign the office or be dismissed by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri. The defeat of a supply bill (one that concerns the spending of money) or unable to pass important policy-related legislation is seen to require the resignation of the government or dissolution of Legislative Assembly, much like a non-confidence vote, since a government that cannot spend money is hamstrung, also called loss of supply.

The chief minister's party will normally have a majority in the Legislative Assembly and party discipline is exceptionally strong in Penang politics, so passage of the government's legislation through the Legislative Assembly is mostly a formality.

Caretaker chief minister

The legislative assembly unless sooner dissolved by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri with His Excellency's own discretion on the advice of the chief minister shall continue for five years from the date of its first meeting. The state constitution permits a delay of 60 days of general election to be held from the date of dissolution and the legislative assembly shall be summoned to meet on a date not later than 120 days from the date of dissolution. Conventionally, between the dissolution of one legislative assembly and the convening of the next, the chief minister and the executive council remain in office in a caretaker capacity.

List of chief ministers of Penang

The following is the list of chief ministers of Penang since 1957:

Colour key (for political parties):

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
ConstituencyTerm of officePartyElectionAssemblyTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1[[File:Wong Pow Nee.jpg120x120px]]Tan Sri
Wong Pow Nee
(1911–2002)
MLC for Bukit Mertajam (until 1959)
MLA for Bukit Mertajam (from 1959)31 August
195712 May
1969Alliance Party (Malaysia)}};"Alliance
(MCA)
19591st
19642nd
2Dato' Seri Utama Dr.
Lim Chong Eu
(1919–2010)
MLA for Kota (until 1974)
MLA for Padang Kota (from 1974)12 May
196925 October
1990Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia}};"GERAKAN19693rd
Barisan Nasional}};"BN
(GERAKAN)19744th
19785th
19826th
19867th
3[[File:Koh_Tsu_Koon.jpg123x123px]]Tan Sri Dr.
Koh Tsu Koon
(born 1949)
MLA for Tanjong Bunga25 October
199011 March
2008Barisan Nasional}};"BN
(GERAKAN)19908th
19959th
199910th
200411th
4[[File:Lim_Guan_Eng_2019.jpg99x99px]]Lim Guan Eng
(born 1960)
MLA for Air Putih11 March
200814 May
2018Pakatan Rakyat}};"PR
(DAP)200812th
201313th
Pakatan Harapan}};"PH
(DAP)
5[[File:Chow_Kon_Yeow_2019.jpg107x107px]]Chow Kon Yeow
(born 1957)
MLA for Padang Kota14 May
2018IncumbentPakatan Harapan}};"PH
(DAP)201814th
202315th

Notes

References

References

  1. "myPenang".
  2. (2018-05-14). "Chow Kon Yeow sworn in as Penang CM". Free Malaysia Today.
  3. [https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Malay_states.htm#Penang Penang] www.worldstatesmen.org Accessed 12 June 2010
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