SHAH ALAM, Aug 8 — Selangor Speaker Ng Suee Lim today denied that the latest state legislative assembly was shortened to two days due to a disagreement between him and Selangor Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari over a Bill allowing for the unilateral conversion of minors.
He said the session was adjourned due to the low participation of assemblymen in debates on the issues tabled during the session and that the supposed amendment on the proposed Bill was merely a rumour and never listed in the Order Paper.
“It was not in the Order Paper. It is all just hearsay and rumours in the news.
“As the Speaker, I was only following the Order Paper,” he told reporters after the Selangor Pakatan Harapan bimonthly meeting at the Selangor mentri besar’s official residence here.
The state legislative assembly was scheduled to run for nine days starting July 29 but ended on July 30.
Asked why the Bill was raised, Ng had claimed he had no knowledge as his responsibility is in managing the Dewan Negeri.
“All the other matters, that has got to do with the administration, the executive. When it comes to politics, let the executive answer it as I am not involved in politics.
“I am neutral on this matter,” he said.
He added that the controversial Bill was not discussed in the meeting with the MB earlier but that party leaders only discussed ways to strengthen the ties within PH and build public confidence towards the state administration.
“That is the thing we are most concerned about above all other issues,” Ng said.
Amirudin admitted last night that he was going to table a Bill for an amendment to a state Islamic enactment, which currently states that individuals below 18 must obtain the consent of both “mother and father” before converting to Islam.
The proposed amendment would see a change of the phrase from “mother and father” to “mother or father”; meaning that one parent will get to decide on the conversion of a minor.
Selangor DAP has openly said it will not support any Bill that allows for the unilateral conversion of minors.
