2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁D AP ▁National ▁Congress ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Z air il ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Central ▁Executive ▁Committee ▁( CE C ) ▁and ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁Ass istant ▁National ▁Public ity ▁Secretary . ▁The ▁election ▁was ▁re - run ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁after ▁a ▁tab ulation ▁error ▁that ▁had ▁resulted ▁in ▁his ▁ex clusion . ▁He ▁was ▁successful ▁again ▁the ▁second ▁time ▁around . ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Z air il ▁was ▁once ▁again ▁re - elect ed ▁into ▁the ▁C EC ▁and ▁re - app oint ed ▁as ▁the ▁Ass istant ▁National ▁Public ity ▁Secretary . ▁ ▁D AP ▁Pen ang ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Z air il ▁was ▁elected ▁into ▁the ▁D AP ▁Pen ang ▁State ▁Committee ▁and ▁subsequently ▁appointed ▁Vice - Ch air man . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁state ▁party ▁convention , ▁he ▁was ▁re elect ed ▁into ▁the ▁committee , ▁placing ▁third ▁highest ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁fifteen ▁elected ▁members ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁vote ▁of ▁ 4 9 0 ▁out ▁of ▁ 7 6 0 ▁deleg ates . ▁He ▁was ▁re app oint ed ▁Vice - Ch air man . ▁ ▁Pen ang ▁Institute ▁ ▁From ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Z air il ▁head ed ▁the ▁Pen ang ▁Institute , ▁a ▁public ▁policy ▁think ▁tank ▁to ▁the ▁State ▁Government ▁of ▁Pen ang . ▁Z