Reps: Why was Azmin silent during pay hike debate?

While Selangor backbenchers club chief Azmin Ali criticises the upcoming pay hike for the state’s elected representatives, other assemblypersons have pointed out that Azmin had been silent while the bill was being debated. 

“When the bill was tabled, debated and passed, he (Azmin) was sitting in the House. He did not even utter a word... 

“Except for two members, Sekinchan (representative Ng Suee Lim) and Kampung Tunku (representative Lau Weng San) who spoke for the bill, none of the members attending the session debating the bill on remuneration uttered a word of opposition. 

“Even at the third stage of reading, they were sitting in the chambers. So they cannot come and say that they don’t agree now,” said Sungai Pinang assemblyperson Teng Chang Khim (left) when met by reporters today. 

He said that assemblypersons who oppose the bill should have voiced this in the assembly’s proceedings so that it can be recorded in the Hansard. 

In addition, he said Ng has already drafted a letter of authorisation for assemblypersons to sign if they refuse to accept the pay hike. 

The letter authorises the state assembly to donate the dissenting assemblyperson’s additional pay to charity.

He told reporters that the hike was not a drastic move, because all assemblypersons, led by Ng, had been arguing for a hike for some time and even Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has spoken on this for some months. 

When contacted, Ng (left) confirmed that he has drafted the letter and has tabled it at the state assembly during the second reading of the Bill on Nov 27. 

To a question, he said he will not be handing Azmin the letter because his position did not appear to constitute an outright objection to the pay hike. 

However, he said he will do so if Azmin shifts his position to fully oppose it. 

Under the new remuneration scheme, monthly salaries for the menteri besar, exco members, assemblypersons, the speaker and her deputy will be increased beginning from Jan 1 next year, ranging from 87 percent to 373 percent. 

The menteri besar will be paid RM29,250, up from RM14,175, while assemblypersons will be paid RM11,250 per month, up from the current RM6,000. 

Opposition leader agrees with Teng

Agreeing with Teng is Selangor opposition leader Mohd Shamsudin Lias, who said Azmin should have spoken up and questioned the bill in the assembly instead of holding press conferences outside. 

“If you look closely, this is not an issue of pay hike but a political issue within PKR - that is what I make of it.

"Azmin has a big political problem between himself and the menteri besar,” added the Sungai Burong assemblyperson. 

Meanwhile, backbenchers club deputy chairperson Abdul Rani Osman (right) told reporters that backbenchers are not opposing the pay hike, but were taken aback by it. 

“We are surprised to get all this. We will meet the menteri besar again to discuss all this... we do not oppose (the pay hike) but in its aftermath, the responses that are not good...,” he said. 

He said the backbenchers will be meeting Khalid when possible to get a detailed explanation, while refusing to comment whether he felt the hike was too high. 

As for Azmin (left), he remained tight-lipped despite the criticisms against him and repeated requests from a group of about 20 reporters for his response at about noon today. 

Surrounded by the group of reporters and under a constant barrage of questions, Azmin merely repeatedly said “thank you” as he slowly made his way towards the state assembly annex building’s exit. 

“I have already said my piece yesterday, see you next week,” he added, occasionally reminding the reporters not to trip over cables and other furniture while following him. 

To a question on whether his working relationship with Khalid is under strain, he curtly replied that the relationship was “extremely good”.