Shah Headan Ayoob Hussain Shah (BN-Teluk Bahang) has refused to participate in a debate on several motions at the Penang legislative assembly tomorrow.

He said the motions involved national issues like the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST), which he described as a “good taxation”.

“I can debate with you on this but I don’t want to waste my time to debate national issues in the state assembly,” Shah Headan told a press conference at the Dewan Negeri on Light Street today.

“This is a venue for us to bring up state and people’s issues. The Chief Minister is also a parliamentarian; he can raise these national issues in Parliament,” Shah Headan said.

“As we are the opposition, we do not have the numbers to table our own motions on the issues we want.

"Since this is the case, I do not want to participate in the debates.

“If you want to keep talking about national issues, then why not just scrap the Dewan Negeri and turn Penang into a federal territory like Kuala Lumpur,” Shah Headan quipped.

Other motions to be tabled at the Dewan tomorrow include the "political persecution” and the jailing of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim for five years for sodomy and amendments to the assembly’s standing order.

Shah Headan raised the matter as he wanted the state assembly to discuss more pressing issues, such as illegal hill clearing which has an adverse impact on the island’s environment.

'Hill clearing more pressing issue'

He revealed there were illegal earthworks carried out on Bukit Laksamana in Kampung Bukit Kecil - an area of about five acres and at 200 metres above sea level - which he discovered some three months ago.

He pointed out that the area is a water catchment area, close to the Teluk Bahang dam.

“It seems like the state government does not care for our resources but focus more on national issues to cover up problems in the state,” Shah Headan alleged.

He called on NGOs to speak out about the issue of illegal hill clearing, saying the groups were rather vocal during BN rule in Penang, prior to 2008.

It is learnt that the state government has issued a stop work order to the developer allegedly involved in the illegal earthworks.

In addition, state executive council member Chow Kon Yeow said he would look into Shah Headan’s complaint soon.

Environmental issues, involving reclamation of the middle bank on the Penang Channel, have been raised a few times in the current sitting, which will end tomorrow.

Meanwhile, state opposition leader Jahara Hamid ( left ) said while the Dewan Negeri has the time to discuss GST and Anwar, it has even rejected five motions proposed by Norlela Ariffin (PKR-Penanti).

Jahara, who was also at the press conference, condemned the illegal hillside clearing as “blatantly against the law”.

“How come they dare to do it? Are they protected and (are their actions) approved by someone?

“The state government must answer these questions.  Where is the so-called competency and transparency?

“This is a serious matter as catchment area are not supposed to allow development. Any clearing works around this area will be considered as illegal.

“Are they trying to build resorts or grow durian trees there?” she asked.

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