The Penang legislative assembly last night stopped the clock at 11.45pm to finish its business before the House adjourns its sitting to a date to be decided later in 2017.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng requested for the clock to stop, and finished winding up his 25-paged speech on the state Budget 2017 at about 12.30am.

The House then tabled two resolutions, the first to condemn the Myanmar government's violence against the Rohingya community, causing thousands of refugees to flee their home

Deputy Chief Minister I Rashid Hasnon (PKR-Pantai Jerejak tabled the motion, seconded by Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy (DAP-Prai).

The motion was passed with the unanimous support of the House.

BN and Pakatan Harapan assemblypersons all stood up in unison to express their support for the motion, a rare sight as the two sides hardly see eye to eye to any motion tabled by the state government.

State executive councillor on agriculture and afro-based industry, rural development and health Afif Bahardin (PKR-Seberang Jaya) tabled the 2016 Pig Farming Bill in the state assembly.

Afif said the pig farming industry was very important in Penang as it represented “food security” for the non-Muslims in the state.

“According to records from the local councils - Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP), in 2015 alone, there are 195 licensed farms and 189 farmers with 294,429 pigs,” said the PKR national deputy youth chief.

To address the licensing issue as well as health and hygiene concerns of the pig farms, Afif proposed that a separate law be passed for the pig farming industry.

Currently, the industry is regulated under the 1976 Local Government Act, 1980 MPSP and 1990 licensing fee bylaws.

Afif was seconded by state executive councillor on environment, welfare and caring society Phee Boon Poh (DAP-Sungai Puyu).

DAP rep moots ombudsmen

Meanwhile, the House also allowed Teh Yee Cheu (DAP-Tanjung Bungah) to deliver a speech on the need to form a committee of ombudsmen provide checks and balances to the state, to promote good governance and walk the talk on Penang's 'CAT' (competency, accountability and transparency) principle.

Teh, described as a party rebel, often ruffles feathers of his comrades with his controversial views, including calling for the term of the chief minister to be limited to two terms.

“Ombudsmen were necessary to ensure that the branches of government - executive, legislative and judiciary - remain separate,” he argued.

Later, when asked about the need to stop the clock, speaker Law Choo Kiang said there was no provision in the standing orders for the matter.

“However, it is by convention (in Parliament) that we have allowed the clock to be stopped so that we can finish our business in the House,” he said.

The state legislative assembly ended at approximately 1am, and is likely to reconvene in May 2017.

The proceedings starting Nov 15 saw Lim tabling the state’s 2017 budget, which was debated and passed unanimously by the House last night.