GEORGE TOWN: After a 15-year hiatus, Umno has made a comeback into the local government.
Penang Umno information chief Datuk Mohd Noor Ahmad, 64, and state liaison committee members Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman, 54, and Datuk Omar Hamid, 64, were appointed as the Penang Island City Council and Seberang Prai City Council councillors.
Their term, which begins with immediate effect, ends on Dec 31, next year.
Abdul Razak and Mohd Noor had served as Penang Island and Seberang Prai City councillors respectively when Barisan Nasional (BN) was in power.
Omar was the former Permatang Berangan assemblyman.
The trio thanked Umno and the Penang government for having consented to their appointments.
They said they would bring issues affecting the people to the forefront to find amicable solutions.
Among others were flooding, traffic congestion and hawkers' licences.
Omar, a lawyer by profession, said he was grateful to be appointed as a councillor.
"With three decades in politics and as a lawyer, I am sure I can use my experience to serve effectively as a councillor," he said.
Mohd Noor said he would use his experience as a Seberang Prai City councillor for seven years previously and four decades as a politician to do his best this time around.
As for Abdul Razak, an administrative executive with Tenaga Nasional Bhd, he too would use his four-year experience as a Penang Island City councillor previously to give his best services to the people.
Meanwhile, Penang Local Government Committee chairman H'ng Mooi Lye expressed hope that the new councillors from Umno would work together to contribute their ideas, experiences and strength to ensure the administration of the state's local government continues to be excellent.