Penang protest: 'Gate-climber was PAS member'

BN’s Permatang Berangan representative Shabudin Yahaya has revealed that the man who chained himself to the gate during last Tuesday’s protest outside the Penang state assembly was a PAS member and not an “Umno monkey”.

Shabudin said the man, who was arrested that day for defying police orders to disperse, has also been identified as a former worker of Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik.

He admitted that he was a PAS member but said the party had refused to acknowledge it, claimed Shabudin.

(The individual had identified himself to reporters last week as Ariff Ibrahim.)

“Does this mean that people with problems are not PAS members? He also used to work with Ng, and the YB has admitted this,” said Shabudin.

Shabudin provided the details after staging a walkout from the House with other opposition members over the suspension of BN’s Pinang Tunggal representative Roslan Saidin.

Met at the assembly lobby, Ng admitted that Ariff had helped him during several events last year.

“However, he does not work with me any more. He is no longer a PAS member. I was told he did not pay his subscription fee for this year.”

Ng has been avociferous in drawing attention to the actions of the ‘gate-climber’, having made special reference to this as a crime when filing an emergency motion to debate the protest.

‘No justice for BN’

At a joint BN press conference with Roslan, Shabudin complained that there has been no justice for BN because action is not taken against Pakatan Rakyat backbenchers who make unparliamentary remarks.

“I had asked Seri Delima (RSN Rayer) and Bagan Lallang (Tan Beng Huat) to apologise to all Umno members for calling them monkeys but they refused,” he said.

“The comment is very unparliamentary, especially when it has been proven that the man at the gate was in fact a PAS member. He admitted it.

“When we are accused of making a mistake, they erupt like volcanoes. The so-called CAT (competency, accountability and transparency) government is mere rhetoric, sweet nothings, like a song, but it is (a hollow claim).”

Teluk Bahang assemblyperson Hilmi Yahya (right), a former deputy chief minister, said he has never before seen the police being called in to escort a state assemblyperson out of the House.

“It is they (Pakatan backbenchers) who make trouble, but it is us who are asked to leave.”

Asked if they would attend the proceedings tomorrow, Hilmi said that his BN colleagues will meet today to decide their next course of action.