The Penang

State Executive Council State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

is the

executive authority The Executive, also referred as the Executive branch or Executive power, is the term commonly used to describe that part of government which enforces the law, and has overall responsibility for the governance of a state. In political systems b ...

of the

state government A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or ...

Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...

, a

Malaysian state The states and federal territories of Malaysia are the principal administrative divisions of Malaysia. Malaysia is a federation of 13 states (''Negeri'') and 3 federal territories (''Wilayah Persekutuan''). States and federal territories Ele ...

. Led by the

Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...

, the

head of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a gro ...

who is appointed by Penang's

head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...

, the

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

, the Executive Council also comprises between four and ten other State Assemblymen from the

Penang State Legislative Assembly 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 legi ...

, as well as the State Secretary, the State Legal Adviser and the State Financial Officer. While being smaller in size, the Penang State Executive Council is analogous in structure and role to the Malaysian Federal Cabinet. As federal and state responsibilities differ, there are a number of portfolios that differ between the federal and state governments. The Executive Council is collectively responsible to the Penang State Legislative Assembly.

Structure of government

Appointment of the Executive

The

, as

's head of government, must be appointed by the

Governor of Penang The governor of Penang ( ms, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Pulau Pinang) is the head of state of the Malaysian state of Penang. The role of governor is largely ceremonial with the power vested in the executive branch of the state government led by the ...

(

Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...

: ''Yang di-Pertua Negeri Pulau Pinang'') on the basis that the former commands the confidence of a majority of the State Assemblymen in the

. On the advice of the Chief Minister, the Governor shall form the Penang State Executive Council by appointing "''not more than ten nor less than four other members''" from among the State Assemblymen. Aside from the Executive Council, the Governor shall also appoint another three executive officers, namely the State Secretary, the State Legal Adviser and the State Financial Officer. * The State Secretary serves as the principal officer who handles the administrative affairs of the State. * The State Legal Adviser shall provide advice on legal matters upon request from either the Governor or the

. * The State Financial Officer is in charge of the financial affairs of the State. These officers retain the right to participate in the proceedings of the Executive Council and may be appointed to any of the committees in the council. However, they are not permitted to vote in the Executive Council or within any of the committees. Before exercising the duties of the executive office, an incoming member of the Executive Council must take and subscribe the Oath of Office and Allegiance in the presence of the Governor. The Oath of Office and Allegiance reads as follows.

I, 'name'' having been appointed to the office of 'name of office'' do solemnly swear 'or'' affirmthat I will faithfully discharge the duties of that office to the best of my ability, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the State of Penang, and that I will preserve, protect and defend the
Constitution of the State of Penang The Constitution of Penang, introduced in 1957, is the fundamental law of the Malaysian state of Penang. The constitution, which came into effect just before the independence of the Malayan Federation (now Malaysia) from the British Empire, concern ...
.

In addition, every incoming member of the Executive Council, plus the State Secretary, the State Legal Adviser and the State Financial Officer, must also take and subscribe the Oath of Secrecy before the Governor. The Oath of Secrecy is as follows.

I, 'name'' do solemnly swear 'or'' affirmthat I will not directly or indirectly communicate or reveal to any person any matter which shall be brought under my consideration or shall become known to me as a member of the Executive Council of the State of Penang except as may be required for the due discharge of my duties as such or may be specially permitted by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.

Vacation of office

Any member of the Penang State Executive Council, apart from the

, shall hold office at the

's pleasure, but may at any time resign from his or her position. If the Chief Minister ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the State Assemblymen in the

, the Chief Minister shall tender the resignation of the entire Executive Council. However, in this particular circumstance, the Chief Minister also reserves the option to advise the Governor to dissolve the Legislative Assembly, thus paving the way for fresh state-level election. Aside from that, the Executive Council ceases to exist upon the vacancy of the Office of the Chief Minister, unless the vacancy arises while the Legislative Assembly is dissolved.

Current Executive Council members

Following the 2018 State Election, the composition of the Penang State Executive Council is as follows.

Ex officio members

The State Secretary, the State Legal Adviser and the State Financial Officer are the

ex officio member An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...

s of the Executive Council.

References

External links

Penang State Government
{{Penang Politics of Penang