Slamming the Penang state assembly speaker’s decision to cancel the question-and-answer (Q&A) session yesterday, MCA’s Labis MP Chua Tee Yong has challenged the federal opposition to suspend similar sessions in Parliament.

“Once they are cancelled, all MPs could have more time to debate  policies,” he said, mocking the reason given by Penang speaker Law Choo Kiang that the session was cancelled “to save time” .

“The Parliament session is from 9am to 5.30pm, but it is often extended, sometimes until midnight.

"So if Pakatan moved a motion to cancel the question-and-answer session, we could save one-and-a-half hours so that MPs could participate in more policy debates,” he said in a statement today.

 

Chua pointed out that there are a total of 222 MPs in Parliament but are still able to raise oral or written questions during the sitting, and therefore the Penang state assembly suspending the session is puzzling.

Another MP from MCA, Koh Nai Kwong, representing Alor Gajah, commented that the cancellation reflects the arrogance of the Penang government.

He echoedPenang opposition leader Jahara Hamid's remark that democracy has died in the state assembly.

However, DAP’s Ayer Keroh assemblyperson Khoo Poay Tiong revealed that the Malacca state assembly on Monday had not only cancelled the question-and-answer session but also the speech of the state governor.

Hence if Jahara still maintains her declaration of “democracy is dead” in Penang, the same remark should also be directed at the Malacca government.

“I challenge Jahara to also criticise Malacca Umno and not to have double standards in this issue.

"She should learn how to be opposition leader and not object for the sake of objecting to win media publicity,” he added.