Three Malacca DAP reps suspended for six months

Three out of five opposition assemblypersons in the Malacca state assembly have been suspended for six months over the dispute caused by the “gambling is Chinese culture” remark made by an Umno state exco member two days ago.

The trio are Goh Leong San (Kesidang) ( right ), Khoo Poay Tiong (Ayer Keroh) and Tey Kok Kiew (Bandar Hilir). All five opposition representatives are from DAP.

However they still enjoy their monthly allowance.

The announcement was made by speaker Othman Muhamad in the state assembly today, saying that the trio have behaved excessively during the sitting which started this Monday.

The suspension was decided by the BN-dominated state assembly select committee which held a meeting last night to discuss the matter.

However Goh, who is also the Malaca DAP chief, claimed that although he is the sole opposition member in the committee, he was never informed about the meeting.

After the suspension, the Malacca state assembly is only left with two opposition lawmakers - Chew Gek Cheng (Kota Laksamana) and Lim Jak Wong (Bachang), both from DAP.

The whole episode started on Monday when state housing, local government and environment committee chairperson Md Yunos Husin told the house that the government could not restrict gambling machines as “gambling is part of Chinese culture”.

This was objected to by Goh, who demanded that the Ayer Molek assemblyperson retract his remark. However, he was ignored by the latter.

Fracas breaks out in the House

Goh then rejected the speaker’s order to sit down and a fracas broke out in the House after lawmakers from both sides joined in.

After a 10-minute recess, the house passed a motion tabled by Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam ( left ) to suspend Goh from attending the assembly for three days.

On the next day, the remaining four opposition assemblypersons were also suspended after two of them attempted to read out their emergency motions against Md Yunos and the speaker, respectively.

The four of them engaged in a heated argument with the BN lawmakers, and ignored the speaker’s order to leave the house. A motion tabled by an Umno representative was then passed to suspend them from attending this session of the state assembly, which lasted until today.