GEORGE TOWN, Nov 14 — The Penang government will consider extending the state legislative assembly sessions to three times a year, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said today.

He added that his Pakatan Harapan state administration will consider adding another session each year to better address public issues.

"Previously, back in the 1990s, when I was the Opposition assemblyman, we used to have three sittings each year so it can be done,” he told backbencher and Bukit Tambun assemblyman Goh Choon Aik in the state legislative assembly.

Goh wanted more space and time for assemblymen to submit their questions and raise current issues.

Currently, the state legislative assembly is held twice a year — one in the middle of the year and another at the end of the year.

Chow, who is also Padang Kota assemblyman, said the state can consider reviewing the timeline for assemblymen to submit their questions to the assembly.

He admitted that many existing state laws are outdated and should be reviewed.

"I agree that we need to review all of these old enactments and ordinances that have been around since Merdeka.

"If it is still relevant, we will need to look into updating it,” he said.

Earlier, Chow said the relevant authority will need to conduct a stakeholders’ engagement to look into the need to bring back the Parliamentary Service Act 1963.

He said the Act can be enforced in both Parliament and state assemblies but it will depend on the respective state administration.

"It is up to those responsible in bringing this Act back to conduct engagement session to see how effective this act is,” he said.

He was responding to an oral question by backbencher and Machang Bubuk representative Lee Khai Loon who wanted to know if the state government plans to bring back the Parliamentary Service Act 1963 to uphold the separation of powers.

Chow said the Act was in use for 30 years before it was abolished in 1992, but that it was specifically used for Parliament and not for state assemblies.