Opposition in a huff over rejected written questions

What say you on the issue below?

THE state legislative assembly got off to a rocky start when two Opposition members were upset that their written questions were rejected by Speaker Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain.

Opposition leader Datuk Azhar Ibrahim (BN—Penaga) and Datuk Jasmin Mohamed (BN—Sungai Dua) insisted that the questions were not in violation of the House rules.

Among the Opposition questions rejected were: whether the state government would implement hudud laws here; whether it was planning to take over the Sungai Nyior toll plaza in Butterworth (from the Federal Government); the reason behind Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s recent apology to the Sultan of Johor (Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar); and the Tang Hak Ju land case.

“These questions are not insulting nor are they accusations.

“We are asking the Chief Minister of Penang — not Lim Guan Eng in his personal capacity — so I don’t understand why our questions were rejected,” Azhar said yesterday.

Back in action: The media taking pictures of Azhar who is back after a six-month suspension

He was addressing Abdul Halim before the three-hour oral question session.

“We do not want to spark (anything sensitive),” said Abdul Halim.

“Tang’s case was already raised in the last sitting and the toll issue is under federal jurisdiction.

“The questions are rejected - that’s all,” he said.

Lim, who allegedly made disparaging remarks about Johor during a closed-door meeting in Singapore, then told the House he would respond to Azhar’s question about apologising to the Sultan on Sept 30.

“I apologised because the Sultan was offended.

Comparing notes: Opposition members Muhammad Farid Saad (left) and Shabudin Yahaya (BN-Permatang Berangan) discussing a point at the Penang state legislative assembly building

“The DAP, myself and (Pakatan Rakyat) leaders are not here to fight but to defend the Federal Constitution and the Sultan,” he said.

Azhar returned to the state assembly after serving a six-month suspension.

He was suspended from the state assembly after the Rights and Privileges Committee found him guilty of uttering seditious words at the assembly in May last year.

Speaking to reporters during the lunch break, Muhammad Farid Saad (BN—Pulau Betong) said the Opposition would raise the disallowed written questions during the debate session.

“The Speaker’s reasoning to disallow several questions by the Opposition does not make sense because the issues are directly related to the state government’s stand and policies.

“The people have a right to know. Where is the much-touted CAT (competency, accountability, transparency)?”

The House starts its Deepavali break today and will reconvene on Oct 31.

The sitting is slated to end on Nov 4.