Two-third majority needed to pass amendment

SHAH ALAM: Selangor state assembly Speaker Teng Chang Kim said the proposed amendment to the Selangor constitution to allow the state and sultan to appoint three top state officers could be made retrospective.

However, in order for the amendment to be passed, consent must be given by two-thirds of the House.

Pakatan, which captured Selangor in the last general election, controls 35 out of the 56 state seats. The coalition is three seats short of commanding a two-thirds majority.

“I will pass (the amendment) if it receives two-thirds support and will not if it doesn’t. But we should not assume it will not be passed, the menteri besar may convince some opposition reps (to back it),” Teng told a press conference here.

The speaker said if the proposed Bill stated that the amendment would take effect from Jan 1, 2011 then it would be retrospective and this would affect Khusrin Munawi’s position as the new state secretary.

Khusrin’s appointment had drawn flak from Pakatan Rakyat leaders since Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim was not consulted.

On the same note, Teng said it was too early to state if this would happen as he had yet to see the Bill.

He added that the menteri besar had not put in a formal letter to explain why the latter wished for a emergency state assembly meeting.

Royal consent not needed

With the state assembly sitting having been adjourned to March, Teng said, a royal consent need not be sought for an emergency meeting, and such a meeting could be held within 24 hours.

Citing Standing Order10(3), he said the speaker could call for an emergency meeting if he deemed the reason given was of public importance.

He said the MB had verbally informed him about the request for an emergency meeting, but a decision would only be made when a formal letter was submitted.

He added that any amendment to a bill of law must be gazetted 14 days prior to tabling of the motion, but this could be waived by the speaker.

Commenting on Pakatan’s plan to table a motion of no-confidence against Khusrin, Teng said there was no such precedent since it involved a civil servant.

“Under normal circumstances, the motion is tabled against a member of government, and it happens when the person misbehaves.

“Unless there is good reason (to table one against a civil servant) and the mover of the motion can convince the House of such, then it will be difficult,” he said. - FMT