GEORGE TOWN: Talk is rife that Seberang Jaya assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin’s name has been removed as a candidate for the Deputy Chief Minister’s post by the party’s top brass.
Rumours are also strong that his name has been removed from becoming any state executive council member in the Penang Pakatan Harapan government despite the fact that he had held the Agriculture & Agro-based Industry, Rural Development and Health portfolio prior to the 14th General Election.
Sources close to the administration said that Dr Afif was initially in the running for the deputy chief minister’s post.
However, things had changed in the past two days.
The source told the NST that the top brass from PKR had rejected Dr Afif’s name from being considered for any position in the state government.
This was conveyed through a Penang-based ex member of parliament.
“This is one of the reasons for the delay in announcing the candidates for the state executive council post in the Penang government.
“The state party leaders had no problems with him, but somehow he was not favoured to hold any position in the state government by the party leaders at federal level. He is now definitely out of the picture,” said the source.
Dr Afif, when contacted, refused to comment on the matter.
Newly sworn in Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow is set to name the state executive council members this Wednesday.
He had said that there would be five new faces expected to fill the void positions.