GEORGE TOWN, Oct 5 — A special motion to declare as vacant, the seats of assemblymen who violated the state’s anti-hopping law, is expected to be the focus of the Penang State Legislative Assembly sitting which begins next Monday.
Its Speaker, Datuk Law Choo Kiang said most of the questions received from the assemblymen for the coming sitting were on the economy which had been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Penang Transport Master Plan and Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project.
“I have also received a special motion to declare the seats of assemblymen who violated the state’s anti-hopping law, vacant,” he told Bernama when contacted, here, today.
He said the sitting, scheduled to be from October 12 to 19, would still be held at Dewan Sri Pinang as the State Legislative Assembly Building in Light Street was still under restoration work but expected to be completed soon.
However, Law said he would restrict the number of visitors to Dewan Sri Pinang in accordance with the standard operating procedure (SOP) due to Covid-19.
He said he would be assessing the Covid-19 situation in the next seven to 10 days before sending out invitations for press coverage.
“Like it or not, we’re still in the RMCO (Recovery movement control order) period, so we must comply with the SOP. We will also adhere to the views of the Health Ministry and Security Council to protect ourselves and others,” he added.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had reportedly announced that the state government would table the motion for assemblymen to vacate their seats after they violated the state’s anti-hopping law, in accordance with Section 14A of the Penang State Constitution.
He said the tabling of the motion was the state government’s initiative based on the principles of democracy to enable assemblymen to debate before any decision was reached.
The four assemblymen who announced that they had lost faith in the leadership of PH were Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (Bertam) and Zolkifli Md Lazim (Teluk Bahang), both from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), and Dr Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya) and Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sungai Acheh), whose memberships with PKR were suspended. — Bernama
