Some of the items in the Standing Order (SO) governing the Penang legislative assembly appear to give the speaker absolute power.

For example, Section 25(4) of the SO states that if the speaker agrees, a member of the state assembly can refuse to answer a question directed to him or her if it is in the public interest and his refusal cannot be debated or questioned.

Section 25(5) states that only the speaker can decide whether a question can or cannot be asked.

NONE The SO also states that the speaker can reject any question if he or she feels that the question contravenes the right to question or if it was asked with the purpose of obstructing the running of the state assembly.

The state speaker, Law Choo Kiang ( right ), said such provisions would only be used as a "last resort" and would not be used randomly against anyone.

"The Standing Orders will definitely not be used as a weapon to stop members from asking questions," Law added at a briefing for reporters at the State Secretariat office in Komtar.

He also pointed out that there have been no amendments to the SO since Pakatan Rakyat took over Penang in 2008.

"The last amendments were made eight years ago, in 2005, and were related to the number of questions sent to the Speaker," Law said.

Law said the Standing Committee which oversees the running of the state assembly according to the SO is currently looking into the document, to see if changes are necessary.

Assemblypersons asked to propose changes

"I have asked all the assembly representatives on both sides to look at it to see if they want to see changes made," he explained.

"I am trying to collect more ideas and proposals," said Law, who is the Bukit Tambun assemblyperson.

"Some of the assemblypersons asked for more time as they are new and need to familarise themselves with the SO. They said they want to study it further, at least for another sitting," he added.

The state assembly will sit from Nov 28, with Penang's budget for 2014 due to be tabled the next day, with a week-long debate and question-and-answer session to start the week after.

Law said he is expecting the amendments to the SO to be tabled at the first sitting of the state assembly next year, which would probably be in May.

"So far only four proposals to amend the SO have been sent to me, some of which relate to section on the asking of questions," Law, who is deputy state PKR chief, said.