At a press conference, Chow said he met Fahmi this morning to inform him of the decision, which he said the PKR man had accepted.

The chief minister said he would propose Fahmi’s replacement to the governor this afternoon.

Chow added that PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh had written to him yesterday asking for Fahmi to be dropped from the state exco.

“I respect the party’s decision,” he said.

When asked why Fahmi was dropped despite being presumed innocent – especially since another assemblyman remained in office after being charged with corruption –  Chow explained that, in this case, he had received a formal request.

Last week, Fahmi claimed trial to a charge of voluntarily causing hurt to his wife. He was later suspended from all positions in PKR.

The first-term assemblyman appealed against the suspension, saying the only post he held in PKR was an ex officio Penang PKR committee member, by virtue of being an assemblyman.

Fahmi said as he remained the Pantai Jerejak assemblyman, his ex officio seat in the PKR state chapter should technically remain intact.

Chow previously said Fahmi would continue serving as an exco member despite being charged since the PKR man remained innocent until proven guilty.