Azhar suspended for 6 months

Penang opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim has been slapped with a six-month suspension from the Penang state assembly for his “seditious” remarks on racial clashes and the army taking over from the police.

The Umno leader, who is also the Penaga assemblyman, would still be paid his salary and allowances.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who tabled the resolution to suspend Azhar, noted that the opposition leader's statements courted violence and challenged the rule of law.

“He was given the opportunity to apologise but has refused to do so,” he said, adding that if Azhar apologised, the matter would not have come to this point.

The suspension prompted Umno reps to stage a walk out. They latter accompanied Azhar when he gave a press conference at the opposition room.

Azhar told reporters that the charges against him were unclear and not specific.

The state Umno secretary also described the decision to refer him to the privileges and rights committee as an “afterthought” because it was not done immediately after he uttered the remarks.

He also pointed out that he had retracted his statements when ordered to do so by the speaker.

The motion to refer Azhar to the committee was tabled in May by DAP's Datuk Keramat rep Jagdeep Singh after the former urged the army to take over from the police since the state administration appeared not to have confidence in the police.

The Umno leader also warned that racial riots would erupt if the people lost their faith in the state government, and spoke of a group called “Tiga Barisan” which would not fear going against the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

Azhar claimed that he made the remarks because the state government always insulted the police force. - FMT