BN has accused the Penang Pakatan Rakyat government of trying to avoid controversial questions by postponing the coming state legislative assembly proceedings till after the Permatang Pauh by-election.

 

Penang opposition leader and Umno Teluk Ayer Tawar assemblywoman Jahara Hamid ( left ) said the postponement of the Dewan Negeri was not acceptable to BN.

 

She said her team had planned to table a resolution to cut the salaries of the chief minister and state executive council for not being able to serve the rakyat’s interest.

 

Jahara said the Pakatan led state government often preached competency, accountability and transparency (CAT) in its policies.

 

“However, the postponement of the dewan’s proceedings have exposed the weaknesses of the state administration under Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

"There is no competency or accountability but only a personal political agenda,” she said at BN’s Permatang Pauh polls command centre today.

 

Jahara echoed the criticism by her colleague BN’s state chairman Teng Chang Yeow ( right ) who declared yesterday that never before in history, had the state assembly sitting been postponed just for a by-election.

 

Penang state assembly speaker Law Choo Kiang had responded saying that due to the long holiday weekend until May 4, and the by-election on May 7, the state assembly will re-commence on May 11.

 

He admitted the sitting was initially scheduled for May 5.

Jahara said Lim is attempting to avoid questions related to controversial land deals which BN plans to raise in the state assembly.

 

She added that they also plan to table a motion to limit the tenure of the CM to two terms.

 

“The CM wants to avoid answering these questions during campaign time,” Jahara asserted.

 

“This shows that Pakatan only has intentions to protect their political interests and not those of the rakyat.”

 

Jahara said the state assembly only sits twice a year and is a key forum for the state to outline its policies and programmes for the people.

 

The decision to defer the state assembly during the Permatang Pauh campaign period is a decision to ignore the rakyat’s mandate, she added.

 

“The dewan is dominated by 30 Pakatan assemblymen, yet they are not able to face the 10 Umno assemblypersons but instead postpone the assembly,” she stressed.