GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has appointed Rajendran Anthony as the next mayor of the Penang Island City Council (MBPP).
He will replace mayor Yew Tung Seang, who retires on May 5.
State executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo said the decision was made by the state executive council yesterday.
“History is being made as he is the first appointed mayor of Indian origin in the country,” he told FMT.
“Rajendran (will be) the only Indian in the country holding a mayor’s post.”
Rajendran, 60, has been the MBPP city secretary since Jan 1, 2022. He has served the council for 37 years and was previously head of the engineering department.
He joined the council in 1987 as an assistant engineer and was then seconded to the state government as the traffic management head from 2002 to 2005, before being made general manager of Syarikat Bas Negeri Pulau Pinang from 2006 to 2007.
Rajendran’s career highlights include the implementation of one-way streets in George Town and traffic improvement schemes on Penang’s busiest thoroughfare, Jalan Masjid Negeri – which is popularly known as Green Lane – and its surrounding roads.
When contacted, Rajendran said it was a great honour to lead the council as mayor. He was also grateful to the state government for extending his tenure in the civil service past his retirement.
“I want to improve the general well-being of the people of Penang, especially of the less fortunate and also improve the public transport system,” he said.
The last ethnic Indian mayor in the country, DS Ramanathan, was also from Penang.
However, unlike Rajendran, who was appointed, Ramanathan was elected to the post under the then George Town City Council.
Ramanathan served two terms from 1957 to 1961. - FMT
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