All reps returning from Sabah tested negative for Covid-19 – Penang CM

GEORGE TOWN: Several Penang assemblymen who were in Sabah to help with the recently concluded state election all tested negative for Covid-19, said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

He said all of them underwent Covid-19 testing the moment they came back and so far, all tests have come back negative.

They come back on different dates in September and they would have completed their selfquarantine by October 12 for the state assembly,” he said when asked if this would affect the state legislative assembly this month.

He said the state assembly will go on as planned, on October 12, if no positive cases are recorded among the assemblymen who returned from Sabah.

“If there are (positive) cases, it would affect proceedings,” he said.

However, Chow said this decision is not final at this stage.

“This is still open, if any assemblyman, during this period, is detected positive, we will need to start counting again,” he said.

He stressed that the state will still refer to the its health department for any final decision on the matter.

Chow said only several assemblymen went to Sabah and some returned earlier, in the middle of September, so they would have almost completed their self-quarantine.

“All of them have been advised to be on home surveillance,” he said.

Chow is expected to table the state budget for 2021 on October 12.

He will also be tabling a motion for four assemblymen to vacate their seats, two of whom are former PKR assemblymen and another two from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, who is no longer aligned with Pakatan Harapan.

Penang has an anti-hopping law that prohibits elected assemblymen from switching parties.

Any elected assemblyman found to have switched parties during the term will need to vacate their seats with a byelection called.