KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — After claims of nepotism, the father-in-law of Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo has turned down the offer to become chairman of the Penang Appeals Board.

The Penang state legislative assembly recently passed a motion to appoint Baldev Singh Gurchan Singh to head the six-member Penang Appeals Board, which fell under the Penang Freedom of Information Enactment 2010.

"I have declined the post,” Free Malaysia Today reported Baldev Singh as saying.

Meanwhile, New Straits Times reported Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow as saying that due to concerns raised in the media, Baldev had turned down the appointment.

"Probably he didn’t want to prolong the issue although he is well qualified to be appointed to head the Penang Appeals Board under the Penang Freedom of Information Enactment, for which basically there are not many cases over the years. Practically no cases at all.

"But then, since concerns have been raised, he has taken the appropriate action not to prolong this issue,” he said.

Yesterday, Indian-based United for Rights of Malaysian Party’s (Urimai) secretary-general Satees Muniandy called on Chow to explain the recent appointment of Baldev as head of the state Appeals Board.