BN practising double standards - Penang govt

Posted on 28 April 2015 - 07:44pm
Last updated on 28 April 2015 - 08:08pm

Aaron Ngui
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has hit back at the state Barisan Nasional (BN) for criticising the decision to move the state legislative assembly proceedings to a date after the Permatang Pauh by-election polling day.

Political secretary to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Air Itam assemblyman Wong Hon Wai said the state BN was practicing double standards with its criticism.

He said Penang BN chairman Teng Chang Yeow had kept silent on the Pahang legislature proceedings that was also moved to another date due to the Rompin by-election there.

He said the Pahang assembly was initially scheduled to sit from April 20-23 and from April 27-28 but the date was moved to May 18 to accommodate the poll there.

“I state that Teng Chang Yeow has double standards,” he said in a statement on the matter today.

Wong defended the decision to move the date by citing two incidents during the Bukit Gelugor by-election in May 2014 when the assembly was also in session at that time.

He said the first incident was on May 20 when then Independent candidate Abu Backer Sidek Mohamad Zan had laid down in front of the official car of Lim outside the legislature building.

He described the second incident as a “black mark” which happened on May 22 when 16 people barged into the hall and stepped on the Speaker’s table.

“This has never happened in any state assembly in the country or in Parliament,” he added.

Wong said moving the start of the proceedings to May 11, with April 30 being the opening ceremony, was legal and reasonable.

He said this was to ensure elected representatives could concentrate on their duties properly.

“This is also to avoid certain quarters with ulterior motives to take advantage of the sitting for cheap publicity,” he said.

http://www.thesundaily.my/node/306933