Two DAP MPs suspended until 2.30pm after uproar
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — DAP lawmakers Jeff Ooi and Fong Po Kuan were suspended until 2.30pm today after the Jelutong MP riled the Dewan Rakyat Speaker over his continued questioning about delays in completing the Penang International Airport expansion works.
Ooi had asked the Transport Ministry to state the current progress of the project to upgrade the airport under a RM250 million allocation. It is understood that the project was given to Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB).
“In terms of policy and application, how many Malay contractors have been offered sub-contract projects for the Penang airport, including Class F contractors?” asked Ooi.
In response, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri said the project would only be completed at the end of 2011, as the status of upgrades as of November 30 was only 36.12 per cent.
“The status of the Penang International Airport upgrading project until November 30 is at 36.12 per cent compared to 41.06 in the schedule where the delay is 4.49 percent. For your information the current infrastructure can only hold 3.5 million passengers annually, with the airport’s maximum passenger capacity in 2009 reaching 3.32 million and is expected to reach 4 million for 2010,” said the deputy minister.
Ooi was not satisfied with Abdul Rahim’s answer, demanding an explanation to the delay in the upgrading works of the airport.
“The former transport minister, in an interview with the New Straits Times (NST) business in April 2009, had promised that the upgrading work would be completed by the end of 2010, not 2011. Why the delay?” asked the first-term MP.
At this point Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia (picture) interjected, and refused to allow Ooi to continue his supplementary question.
“What is my mistake? What’s wrong with my question?” asked Ooi.
