GEORGE TOWN: Penang is proposing to hold its state legislative assembly on Sept 1, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

       According to Chow, the date was decided on during the state government council meeting.

       He said in a statement that it was expected that the state of emergency will end on Aug 1.

       "We extend our gratitude to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah who reiterated his view that the state assembly should reconvene as soon as possible.

       "We thank our Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak for reaching out to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and receiving consent under Section 15(1)(b) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021, on holding the state legislative assembly after Aug 1.

       "This is in line with advice from Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the National Security Council (NSC)," he said.

       Chow said the state would follow advice from the NSC and state health department on the standard operating procedures and methods that need to be implemented to ensure the control of the Covid-19 pandemic.

       On June 16, the King called for Parliament to reconvene as soon as possible after meeting with several political leaders over the course of a few days from June 9.

       Parliament has been suspended since January after Emergency was declared to fight Covid-19.