Penang State Legislative Assembly

Penang State Legislative Assembly Dewan Undangan Negeri Pulau Pinang (Malay)
14th Penang State Legislative Assembly
Type
Type	Unicameral
History
Founded	11 July 1959
Leadership
Governor	Abdul Rahman Abbas Since 1 May 2001
Speaker	Law Choo Kiang[1], PH–PKR Since 28 June 2013
Deputy Speaker	Amar Pritpal Abdullah[2], PH–PKR Since 2 August 2018
Chief Minister	Chow Kon Yeow, PH–DAP Since 14 May 2018
Opposition Leader	Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor[2], BN–UMNO Since 2 August 2018
Secretary	Mohd Farulizam Che Meh
Structure
Seats	40 Quorum: 13 Simple majority: 21 Two-thirds majority: 27
Political groups	(As of 10 May 2018) Government Pakatan Harapan (37)      DAP (19)      PKR (14)      PPBM (2)      Amanah (2) Opposition Barisan Nasional (2)      UMNO (2) Gagasan Sejahtera (1)      PAS (1)
Committees	5 Public Accounts Committee Rights and Privileges Committee Assembly Committee Rules of Proceedings Committee Constitutional Committee
Elections
Voting system	Plurality: First-past-the-post (40 single-member constituencies)
Last election	9 May 2018
Next election	2023
Meeting place
Penang State Assembly Building, Light Street, George Town, Penang
Website
dun.penang.gov.my

The Penang State Legislative Assembly is the legislature of the Malaysian state of Penang. It is a unicameral institution, consisting of a total of 40 elected lawmakers representing single-member constituencies throughout Penang. The state legislature, whose members are called State Assemblymen, convenes at the Penang State Assembly Building in Penang's capital city of George Town. The Penang State Executive Council, the executive branch of the Penang state government, is drawn from among the State Assemblymen.

Out of the 40 seats, 37 are held by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) ruling coalition after the 2018 State Election. Within the coalition, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) holds 19 seats, the People's Justice Party (PKR) 14, the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (PPBM) two and the National Trust Party (Amanah) two. The PH coalition thus commands a supermajority in the legislature.

Meanwhile, the opposition is formed by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which controls two seats, and the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), which occupies a single seat.

Current composition

Role

The Penang State Legislative Assembly's main function is to enact legislation and policies relating to the State List and Joint List as defined in the Federal Constitution. Its members also provide oversight on the state's executive branch of government, ensuring the state departments and agencies enforce the aforementioned legislation.^[4] Debates in the Assembly are presided over by the Speaker.

The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Assembly is appointed as the Chief Minister by the Governor of Penang. The Chief Minister heads the state's executive, known as the State Executive Council, whose members are also drawn from the Assembly.

Committees

The State Assembly also consists of committees to handle administrative matters. The committees include:^[5]

• Public Accounts Committee
• Committee on Privileges
• House Committee
• Standing Orders Committee
• Constitution Committee

Speakers Roll of Honour

The following is the Speaker of the Penang State Legislative Assembly Roll of Honour, since 1959:^[6]

See also

• Penang State Assembly Building
• Penang state government
• Constituencies of Penang
• Constitution of Penang

References

External links

• Penang State Assembly Portal