Jahara apologises, but wants Rayer to also do so
Penang Opposition Leader Jahara Hamid has apologised over the intrusion of Umno members into the state legislative assembly yesterday.
Penang Opposition Leader Jahara Hamid has apologised over the intrusion of Umno members into the state legislative assembly yesterday.
After an intense debate over an emergency motion filed by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to condemn the act, Jahara apologised on behalf of the “intruders”.
“But we want the Seri Delima assemblyperson to apologise for calling Umno ‘Celaka’ (damned),” she said.
Later at a press conference, Jahara said it was unfair that Umno was asked to apologise when Rayer refused to do so.
“Why does the chief minister only look at others’ faults but not his own men’s mistake,” she asked.
She said Umno will also propose a motion later in the House to compel Rayer to say sorry and retract his statement in the Dewan.
Earlier, in his motion to debate the matter today, Lim proposed that the state assembly strongly condemns Penang Umno for acting irresponsibly by leading a group of rioters and gangsters to “insult the sanctity” of the state legislature and the sovereignty of the state and country.
“To prove that Umno is not the destroyer of the nation, state Opposition Leader Jahara Hamid ( right ) should apologise to this honourable House,” Lim said.
“The state assembly has expressed its regrets over this black incident which has tarnished and is a malicious attack on the parliamentary democratic and monarchy system in Penang and Malaysia,” Lim added when he tabled the motion at 9.30am this morning.
The group that barged into the state assembly proceeding area looking for DAP Seri Delima assemblyperson RSN Rayer and those who rallied outside the gates were allegedly Umno Youth members from Kepala Batas and Tasek Gelugor.
Other NGO members including, those from Perkasa and the Federation of Peninsula Malay Students, joined the rally beyond the gates of the premises.
They were upset that Rayer had allegedly insulted the Malays and Islam when he called Umno leaders celaka (damned) for attending a rally in Seberang Jaya in January, where banners blaming DAP for the May 13 incident were displayed.
Lim proposed that the state assembly forms a special committee headed by the governor, the deputy chief ministe, and assemblypersons Chow Kon Yeow (DAP-Padang Kota), Salleh Man (PAS-Permatang Pasir) and Jahara, who is Teluk Ayer Tawar assemblyperson.
“This committee will come out with a special report to the state assembly on how this dark incident happened, to identify the persons involved and recommend action to be taken, including preventive measures to ensure the incident will not recur,” he added.
Lim said he was tabling the motion to continuously condemn the unruly group, claiming to be Umno members, intruding “wildly, rudely and violently” into the House at about 2.15pm yesterday, just as the proceeding was about to start.
“They tried to push down (the poles) and damage the Penang and Malaysian flags, including other properties of the House, and threatened the lives and security of the assemblypersons and the officers inside the building at the time,” Lim added.
Lim also wants the state assembly to order state police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi and other local security authorities to take over the security of the Dewan and to take the appropriate action against the rioters and gangsters.
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