PHEB chair row: Let Chow decide

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow should decide on the question of whether the tenure of the Penang Hindu Endowment Board chairman RSN Rayer, said PHEB member Senator A. Lingeshwaran.

“The chief minister should decide since the names nominated for PHEB was given by him and the appointment was done by the governor as stipulated in the state constitution,” he told Harapan Daily.

He said this in response to growing calls for Rayer, who is also Jelutong MP, to be replaced in the board.

At the sidelines of Penang DAP convention, DAP Happy Valley branch head R. Ganeson called for Rayer to be replaced by state exco Datuk Seri S Sundarajoo since is preoccupied with his work as a lawyer and federal lawmaker.

One major reason is PHEB was established by the state law and the incumbent chairman does not represent the state.

Former comrades turned political foes Satees Muniandy and David Marshell too have questioned the appointment of Rayer into the PHEB.

Meanwhile when contacted, Rayer questioned the need for him to step down.

“Why should I resign?”

He added that he would give an appropriate response in due time.

For the record, Rayer was appointed to lead PHEB effective from Aug 30, 2023.