Heated assembly expected
> Penang legislative meeting to address contentious issues
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang State Legislative Assembly, which begins today, is expected to be a heated one.
Among the issues expected to raise temperatures in the chamber is that of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng having to take leave pending his trial, over accusations of graft and abuse of power.
Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) is expected to press home this point after two motions to compel the chief minister, civil servants and administrators to go on leave if they are charged with criminal offences, were rejected.
Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang is expected to explain the decision to reject the motions when the assembly convenes.
The matter of term limits for the person holding the chief ministership is also expected to arise. This issue is not new as DAP’s Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu has been raising it at previous proceedings but it has not gained much traction among state government lawmakers.
Another topic expected to see heated exchanges is the motion to censure Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Shabudin Yahaya for his remarks over marriage and rape during a parliamentary debate earlier this year. His state BN colleagues are expected to defend their parliamentary colleague while Penang government backbenchers press the point.
Another matter of contention is the RM2 billion medical facility investment that is to be built at Peel Avenue .
The investment has attracted a lot of attention as the hospital sits on state land, with some quarters having questioned why the land had not been used for affordable housing instead.
The matter of affordable housing, likely to be discussed, is an issue close to the heart of many in land-scarce Penang, where issues of density, zoning and land use are constantly being talked about.
Rendering an air of urgency to the proceedings is the possibility that the current meeting may be the last one for this session as the 14th general elections looms.
Another point likely to be brought up is the RM27 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) – specifically its financial model, as three islands off the south coast of Penang have been proposed to be reclaimed to fund the massive project.
Environmentalists, among other parties, have expressed concerns over the massive reclamation project as it is said to be sited on breeding grounds for marine life.
The fate of Pulau Jerejak, an island off the Penang coast, that used to be among others, a leprosy colony under the British colonial administration and a penal colony post-1969, will also be on the list. It came into the spotlight after UDA Holdings Bhd reportedly entered into a joint-venture with Q Islands Development to redevelop Jerejak Rainforest and Spa Resort, and 32.37ha of land surrounding it into a mixed development.