Penang state assembly: Guan Eng apologises for no Q&A

ARCHIVES 2013

By admin-g On Jul 6, 2013

(The Star) – Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has apologised for the lack of question and answer session during the current sitting, saying Jagdeep Singh Deo (DAP-Datuk Keramat) has been appointed to handle matters related to the state assembly.

Lim said Jagdeep would be fully responsible for the state legislative assembly to ensure that matter such as the Q&A session would not be dropped in future.

“Jagdeep Singh’s role will be to review the recommendation and advice (from the state legal advisor) to ensure the effective functioning of parliamentary democracy as well as to hold talks with the opposition leader after receiving guidance from the Speaker,” he said in his winding up speech at the 13th state legislative assembly sitting.

Earlier, Lim apologised for the lack of Q&A session for this sitting.

He said traditionally, the first sitting of the first term after the general election would start with the swearing-in ceremony without the Q&A session.

“This sitting is based on the tradition although the swearing-in ceremony is organised with the officiating of the first session of the sitting.

“However, if the sitting is not held together with the ceremony, then the Q&A session will be allowed.

“This happened in 2008 after the 12th general election when the ceremony was held on May 2 while the sitting only started 21 days later on July 5,” he said.

His comments were in response to an explanation by State Assembly Speaker Law Choo Kiang who cited “lack of time” on Wednesday for not having the Q&A session.