Published: 12 May 2015 12:50 PM
An old proposal to limit the term of service of the Penang chief minister to only two terms saw DAP elected reps arguing at the state legislative assembly today.
When Teh Yee Cheu (DAP-Tanjung Bungah; pic, right) brought up the topic in his speech this morning, remarking that it was a "historical" development that the idea has also received support from the Barisan Nasional opposition in the state, his own party colleagues objected to his idea.
Chow Kon Yeow (DAP-Padang Kota) told Teh that he could not just take BN's support and its plan to seek an amendment to the state constitution to limit the duration of service of the chief minister to two terms as an
indication that the proposal would be approved.
indication that the proposal would be approved.
"The motion to be tabled (by the BN opposition) is only for discussion (on the proposal)," he said, referring to the BN backbenchers' plan to table a motion on the matter.
R.S.N. Rayer (DAP-Seri Delima) also opposed the proposal, arguing that if the administration was doing well, there was no reason to change the leadership, citing Singapore as an example.
He said Singapore had so done well in becoming an advanced nation under the leadership of the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who ruled from 1959 to 1990.
"I think if an administration is transparent, sincere and without corruption and abuse of power, the leadership should continue to be supported so that the state can move forward towards development.
"This is just my objective view on the matter. I think Tanjung Bungah's (Teh's) proposal is not suitable for the time being," he said.
Teh argued that even DAP's Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming had made a similar proposal in the Perak state assembly to limit the term of a menteri besar to only two to three terms.
Wong Hon Wai (DAP-Air Itam) said Commonwealth nations like Malaysia followed the Westminster system and there was no such thing as limiting the terms of leaders like prime ministers or chief ministers.
"It is only when the PM losses the confidence of the House or is caught in a scandal that the PM has to step down in two weeks."
Soon Lip Chee (DAP-Jawi) also rejected the proposal, saying that a leader should be retained as long as the person was capable of leading and doing the job well.
Teh, a two-term rep, had over the years voiced this proposal, which also covered the positions of menteri besars and prime ministers. He last spoke about it at the November 2014 state legislative assembly sitting.
He reportedly said having a limit of two terms would give opportunities for others, including women, to serve as chief minister. He suggested that the appointments should be limited also to ensure a legislative body did not become a "chief ministerial or menteri besar government" or a "prime ministerial government".
Teh reportedly said the idea was also raised at the party's state committee meeting and received positive feedback. He reportedly said that it was also one of DAP's pledges before the general election in 2008.
Ironically, it was only BN that gave Teh support on the issue, with Datuk Jahara Hamid (BN-Teluk Air Tawar) urging him not to give up on pushing for the proposal to be realised.
The BN opposition was later riled up when Soon made cheeky remarks about Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, whose leadership and administration had been repeatedly slammed of late, even by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Soon also upset the BN reps with his claim that Penang saw little development under the previous BN administration, before the Pakatan Rakyat takeover in 2008.
Jahara protested the remark, asking what Soon would call the Bayan Lepas free trade zone, which had driven Penang's economy over the decades via the manufacturing sector that earned the state the moniker Silicon Valley of the East. – May 12, 2015.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/debate-to-limit-cms-term-in-penang-sees-dap-reps-at-loggerheads
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