Pandemonium struck the Penang state legislative assembly once more, when Roslan Saidin (BN-Pinang Tunggal) was ejected from the sitting today.

Soon af NONE ter taking his seat, deputy speaker Tan Hock Leong announced that Roslan would be suspended for the day for having called speaker Abdul Halim Hussain a “coward” during the extended sitting late last night.

His decision was prompted by Seri Delima assemblyperson RSN Rayer who proposed that action be taken against Roslan for being in contempt of the chair.

This angered Roslan who shook his finger vigorously at Rayer and screamed: “Your behaviour is like an animal”.

Jagdeep Singh Deo (DAP-Datuk Keramat) stood up to demand that Roslan apologise to the House before leaving.

Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik then stood up to propose that Standing Order 51(3) be applied to Roslan for ‘disobeying the order of the House”.

Roslan refused either to apologise or to leave, prompting Tan to warn him that the police would be called in to remove him.

Several of NONE Roslan's colleagues on the opposition bench persuaded him to leave after Tan called in the police.

Twenty minutes later, the entire opposition bench staged a walkout.

At a press conference held in the Opposition office, Roslan expressed disappointment over Tan’s action, saying this had trampled on his rights.

Roslan explained he was merely exercising his rights last night in raising issues about the inefficiency of state projects like the Penang Development Corporation, Penang Water Department and Penang Hill Holdings.

He said the speaker had refused to allow him to continue the debate, saying the issues had been raised during the last sitting. He was also barred from describing the state government as a “DAP-led government”.

“Thi NONE s is not right; I should be able to speak about anything on Penang ... I am raising the issues for the rakyat , I represent them, not others” he said.

“I do not think I am wrong to say that the state government is led by a chief minister who is from DAP.”

Abdul Halim suspended Roslan about 11pm yesterday for repeatedly saying “DAP-led government” instead of “Pakatan Rakyat government”.

The proceedings had been extended up to midnight to allow debate on the 2011 budget to be completed.

Roslan admitted having said ‘coward’ but insisted he had only done so after Abdul Halim adjourned the meeting for the day.

“This is proof that the DAP-led government is cruel, and the (deputy) speaker followed suit today. I was asked to apologise, (but) for what?”

Another call for apology

Roslan questioned the need to call in the police to remove him from the chamber, as he had not committed a criminal offence.

Saying he had no intention of disobeying the order, he explained that he required time to compose himself. Initially, though, he had refused to leave because he felt he had the right to stay.

“It is as if the poli NONE ce have no work to do; it is as if the world is falling apart. Did I do (something) which was out of the ordinary? I was just sitting down. I am not so stupid (that the police had to be called in). I understand the rules but I’m very disappointed,” he said.

He complained that the speaker has been unfair for only acting against opposition representatives in the matter of offensive comments.

“The backbenchers (from Pakatan) have called Umno samseng (gangster); monyet (monkey) and perasuah (corrupt) but no action was taken against them,” he said.

In an immediate response, Abdul Halim, who was not in the House during the uproar, said Roslan had offended the office of the speaker when he made the comment.

He agreed with Tan that Roslan should apologise for his remark.

“He is a two-term assemblyperson but it seems he is immature. It was unbecoming of him to have acted in this manner,” said Abdul Halim.

“During his (debate) it seemed that his intention was only to ridicule and slander the state government and others."

Suspended BN rep cries outside House