Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Selangor Speaker says Perak Speaker can hold sitting anywhere - Malaysian Insider

By Neville Spykerman

KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 – Selangor Speaker Teng Chang Khim said a sitting of the state legislative assembly can be held anywhere and not necessarily at the legislature building.

“So long as due notice has been sent, motions passed by the Perak legislature, anywhere, is deemed to be valid and binding.”

Teng added that assembly staff or secretary need not be present for a sitting.

“Their role is ceremonial and only to assist the assembly.”

The Sungai Pinang Assemblyman added that if Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir was so confident that the special sitting called by State Speaker V.Sivakumar was illegal, "why were they going through all the trouble to block it?"

He said in attempting to block the sitting the state administration, legislative assembly staff and the police have demonstrated that they are ignorant of the doctrine of separation of powers, which is convention in all Commonwealth countries.

“The police should have stayed neutral and not interfered in the affairs of the legislature.”

“This is a sad state of affairs and does not bode well for democracy.”

No comments: