DAP questions PKR reps for not voting on BN motion
(The Malaysian Insider) – The move by five PKR assemblymen who abstained from voting on a motion on land reclamation by Barisan Nasional (BN) needs to be assessed by the party.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he would leave the matter to PKR but the impression given was that the party stood with Umno, having decided not to vote in unison with DAP against the motion.
“Yes, the impression is that PKR is with Umno. We leave it to the party to carefully assess it. If I meet with (PKR president) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah, I would definitely brief her about it,” said Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general.
Yesterday, Umno’s Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhamad Farid Saad forwarded a motion that called for projects involving land reclamation to fund or be swapped in exchange for development of basic infrastructure, transport or others, to be subjected to a public hearing before a decision is made.
Farid also said all new plans for land reclamation projects should be put on hold until a detailed study on oceanic and environmental impact was done and projects detrimental to the environment should be cancelled.
The motion sparked a heated debate between Lim and Farid, which the former claimed was unnecessary as there were federal laws such as detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIAs) and the National Physical Plan Council that governed sea projects.
The motion was rejected with 23 against 10 ayes.
Five PKR backbenchers – Ong Chin Wen (Bukit Tengah), Cheah Kah Peng (Kebun Bunga), Lee Khai Loon (Machang Bubuk), Dr T. Jayabalan (Batu Uban) and Dr Norlela Ariffin (Penanti) – abstained.
