Hee has power, or so she says
By Adib Zalkapli, The Malaysian Insider
Hee Yit Foong cited democracy and her power as deputy speaker to chair the Perak state assembly to get Datuk R. Ganesan elected as the new speaker in the chaotic sitting yesterday.
“There were 31 of us, even without me there were, so we have the majority, this is democracy,” said the Jelapang lawmaker, speaking in halting and bad Bahasa Malaysia when meeting reporters here today.
The former DAP member pointed out that Pakatan Rakyat speaker V. Sivakumar had lost the support of the House and she then invoked her power under Article 36(1) of the Perak constitution to chair the session.
Sivakumar had earlier asked her and two other Pakatan defectors to leave the assembly as he had already declared their seats vacant when they quit to be independents. They ignored his order and remained with the 28 other Barisan Nasional assemblymen.
“It was chaotic, so I have the power to takeover the proceedings,” Hee said, adding it was still possible to remove Sivakumar although he had rejected the motion a day earlier.
At this point Sungai Rapat assemblywoman Datuk Hamidah Osman who was also present answered on behalf of Hee.
“Even if the motion was rejected, under Standing Order 13(2) the mentri besar has the power to table an emergency motion,” said Hamidah, who was in the limelight last year for her controversial remarks on Indians that was tinged with racism.
She had then implied in the House that the Indians are worse than snakes when Sivakumar was conducting the proceedings after Pakatan Rakyat won the state in Election 2008.
Hamidah added Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir has the right to table an emergency motion without prior notice as the mentri besar.
The newly appointed state executive councillor also said the Barisan Nasional is prepared for another round of legal battle with the Pakatan Rakyat over the election of speaker.
“We are prepared for the worst, we are not going to do it, but let’s wait for them,” she said.
“They claimed that democracy has died in Perak they started wearing black, but when there is an election for new speaker, they rejected it, in reality they killed democracy,” said Hamidah.
She also said that BN lawmakers were merely defending themselves when they were intimidated by the PR representatives.
“Everything happened at the BN’s side, not even once we crossed over to the other side,” she argued.
Hee then complained of being physically harassed and insulted by DAP lawmakers as some of them threw RM1 notes at her.
She also denied claims by DAP that she had used pepper spray in the House.
“Hati mereka ada hantu (they have bad intentions),” said Hee.
