Tee Yong seizes on Penang's Q&A cancellation fiasco

Following the decision of Penang state assembly to disallow the Questions and Answer session in the first 13th Penang State Assembly sitting , Datuk Chua Tee Yong challenged the Pakatan Rakyat to raise the same request in the Parliament.

He commented that the reason given by the Penang State Assembly Speaker to disallow the Q&A session just because too much time has been taken for the 'Angkat Sumpah' ceremony, speech by the Penang Chief Minister, announcement by the Speaker and the Debate on Agong's speech is unreasonable.

He said that in the Parliament, there are a total of 222 Member of Parliament and they are still able to raise oral or written questions in this Parliament sessions; therefore it is puzzling for Penang State Assembly not to have time to allow state assemblymen to raise questions.

He criticised that as a second term state government, the Pakatan Rakyat state government should have more than enough experience to adjust the agenda of the state assembly session and should have prepared for it.

He doubted Penang state government's promise to have transparent policies because if there is nothing to hide, why do they have to cancel the Q&A session that allows state assemblymen from both political divide to raise questions.

He said that if similar scenario occurs in the Parliament, PR MPs will definitely criticised BN is an arrogant government.

Chua challenged the PR to submit the request to cancel the Q&A session in the Parliament.

"Once it is cancelled, all MPs could have more time to debates on policies," he said.

"Parliament session starts from 9.00a.m. to 5.30p.m., but it is often extended sometimes until to midnight. So if PR moved a motion to cancel the Q&A session, we could save one and a half hour so that MPs could participate in more policy debates," he said.

马华拉美士国会议员拿督蔡智勇文告（4-7-2013）

蔡智勇：省略口头书面咨询，槟议会逃避监督

批槟州议会省略口头与书面质询逃避监督马华拉美士国会议员拿督蔡智勇针对第十三届第一季槟州立法议会在未事先知会并获得议员通过的情况下省略一切口头与书面质询环节，发表看法。

蔡智勇痛批，槟州议长刘子健以时间紧凑为由，将议会议程改为委任议长、议员就职宣誓、槟州元首发表施政演词、议长宣布及辩论元首施政演词，取消了向来必须进行的口头与书面质询环节，理由牵强。

他说，纵然国会拥有222位国会议员，国会议员尚可在会议前或会议进行中提出口头及书面质询。因此，他不认为槟州议会没有可以让州议员发问与作答的时间。

蔡智勇批评，作为第二届的民联州政府，应当已有足够经验来调适议会流程，应对时间上准备的问题。

他质疑，槟州政府经常说要透明施政，如果没有任何事情需要隐瞒，何必蓄意取消议员该项环节，致使朝野议员都无法做出提问。

蔡智勇挪揄说，若相同的事件发生在国会，民联议员必定会批评那是国阵中央政府傲慢的表现。

“槟州民联以超过三分之二优势蝉联州政权，使得它已成为傲慢的州政府”。

蔡智勇挑战民联，既然槟州民联政府以节省时间为由取消口头和书面质询环节，那么经常投诉辩论环节时间不足的民联国会议员，应当在国会中提出取消上述环节，以让朝野议员进行更多的施政辩论。

“国会开会时间是从早上到傍晚5时30分，但有的时候会延长至深夜，如果民联倡议取消它（口头与书面质询环节），每天可省下一个小时半，以让朝野议员可参与更多的施政辩论”。

Chua Tee Yong is the MP for Labis