Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow directed all State Executive Council members, state departments, agencies, and local authorities on May 30 to enhance oversight of development projects to ensure they are completed on schedule. "I will instruct the state government, all exco members and government agencies, including the local councils, to enhance monitoring of project implementation and expedite the commencement of projects that have yet to start," Chow said [1, 2, 3].
Chow explained project delays result from technical issues such as weaknesses in initial studies but said the state will focus on visible progress. He added, "The people will not remain silent in raising issues related to delayed or ‘sick’ projects. So, in the second half of our term, we will focus on monitoring and ensuring that implementation is carried out according to schedule to maintain the state government’s encouraging performance" [1, 2].
Meanwhile, Penang police, led by state police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail, are considering collaborations with schools to conduct joint inspections of students' belongings for vape products, including drug-laced devices, to prevent youth access. Azizee noted, "To date, officers from the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department together with school liaison officers, have conducted 34 talks on the dangers of vape abuse among students" [4, 5].
No reports have been received of drug-laced vape use inside schools, but police continue enforcement efforts. From January 2025 to May 2026, authorities recorded 115 cases and made 207 arrests related to drug-laced vape products under the Dangerous Drugs Act and Poisons Act. In April 2026, police seized vape liquids and devices worth RM4,951 and issued compounds totaling RM49,800 under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act during an operation [4].
The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has urged the government to ban all nicotine products, including cigarettes, vapes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches to protect youth. CAP education officer N.V. Subbarow warned, "Malaysia must protect its youth from nicotine products because we need a future truly free from a nicotine-addicted generation," linking the concern to the 2026 World No Tobacco Day theme [6].
On workplace safety, the Penang Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) issued a stop-work order at a demolition site on May 29 following a fatal accident where an Indonesian worker died after a wall collapsed. DOSH is investigating under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The department warned all employers and contractors to conduct risk assessments and ensure safe demolition practices to prevent similar accidents [7].
Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Steven Sim encouraged SMEs to tap into the RM60 billion national SME fund guaranteed by Bank Negara to offset rising costs. The fund has increased by RM10 billion compared to 2025 [3].
The Penang state government will maintain its focus on improving project implementation as it enters the second half of its term. Police and schools are set to explore joint inspection programs soon to curb youth access to vape products amid ongoing enforcement.
