Opposition reps unhappy after Negri Speaker ends sitting earlier than scheduled

SEREMBAN: Opposition assemblymen in Negri Sembilan have expressed regret over the state Speaker’s decision to end the current sitting of the legislative assembly a day-and-a-half earlier than scheduled.

Opposition chief Mohamad Hanifah Abu Baker said there was no reason for Speaker Datuk MK Ibrahim Abd Rahman to have ended proceedings earlier when there were issues yet to be discussed.

“We are not happy that today’s proceedings ended two hours earlier and there is none tomorrow (May 10).

“It defies logic why proceedings had to be rushed when there are so many people-related issues to be deliberated upon,” he told reporters outside the state legislative assembly.

Negri Sembilan has five Opposition assemblymen in the 36-member state assembly.

The first meeting of the second session of the 15th state legislative assembly was opened by state Ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir on Monday (May 6).

The meeting was supposed to have ended on Friday (May 10).

Mohamad Hanifah, who is Labu assemblyman, claimed he was also not given enough time during the debate or to ask supplementary questions compared to backbenchers.

He also alleged that the Speaker did not stop Opposition members from airing their views when they praised the state government but when they did the opposite, he would stop them.

“When we have some tough questions for the MB (Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun), we will be stopped so that the MB would not have to answer.

“During question time, we were at times not allowed to ask tough supplementary questions or to even seek clarification,” he said, adding that some questions related to state water concessionaire Syarikat Air Negri Sembilan of which the MB is chairman, were also not properly answered.

Mohamad Hanifah also admonished Aminuddin on the issue related to allocations for Opposition assemblymen.

“When I asked about the allocation, he said the development allocations for constituencies under the Opposition have already been channelled.

“The MB either failed to understand the question or had misled the house because what I asked was the allocation for Opposition members which is also enjoyed by government assemblymen and not other allocations,” he said, adding that when the Opposition reps asked questions, it was not to berate the MB but merely to seek an explanation.

He said Aminuddin should get to the point and decide if Opposition reps would also get the allocations as this was the MB’s prerogative.

Mohamad Hanifah said the Opposition did consider staging a walkout but then decided against it as they needed the time to discuss state issues.