Malacca DAP reps walk out over Utusan photo

Five DAP assemblypersons, including Kota Laksamana representative Betty Chew Gek Cheng who is also Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's wife, walked out of the Malacca state assembly sitting today in protest of a newspaper report and publication of photos of Guan Eng and a woman.

Prior to the question-and-answer session, Goh Leong San (DAP-Kesidang) held up today's issue of Utusan Malaysia and queried Speaker Othman Muhamad why the media was allowed to write a report and take photographs inside the building.

Othman replied that the media could do so including inside the Parliament building as well.

Dissatisfied with the response, Goh, Chew, Khoo Poay Tiong (Ayer Keroh), Tey Kok Kiew (Bandar Hilir) and Lim Jak Wong (Bachang) staged the walkout.

During the winding up of the debate condemning the Bersih 3.0 rally yhesterday, Gan Tian Loo (MCA-Duyong) had asked Chew whethershe knew the woman (with Guan Eng in the photo) but Chew declined to respond. 

Meanwhile, Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam said during a press conference that the assemblypersons' action showed the opposition did not practise democracy transparency and responsibility.

Ali said the opposition should have clarified the issue in the interest of the people.

"We see a lot of cases that are not clean in Penang. We in the assembly also want to know," he said, adding the opposition only knew how to hurl allegations at Barisan Nasional leaders but refused to answer issues raised about them.

- Bernama