A Negeri Sembilan DAP state assemblyperson today questioned the government's double standards in failing to hold a Barisan Nasional (BN) representative accountable for misleading the state legislative assembly on a housing issue.

Loke Siew Fook (DAP - Lobak) highlighted how an 'unprofessional' mistake made by BN's Senawang assemblyperson Woo Ah Lek reflected a lack of accountability on the government's part.

He accused Woo of misleading the house when providing information in a written reply which later contradicted an answer given at a later date by Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan.

"In the assembly's first sitting on May 5, I submitted a written question on the issue of abandoned housing projects in the state and in a written reply to me, Gerakan's state executive councillor for housing and local government (Woo) listed only 16 projects," said Loke when contacted.

He said when the state assembly convened again on Sept 15 and 16, the same question was raised by another representative and Mohamad Hasan claimed there were 52 abandoned housing projects in Negeri Sembilan.

Can't remember

When Loke questioned Woo on why Mohamad Hasan's ( pix ) figures were not congruent to his, the latter replied that he could not remember making a statement based on those figures.

"I had with me (at the second sitting) the written answer given by Woo in May clearly stating the details of the 16 abandoned projects.

Doesn't this tantamount to misleading the house?" asked Loke, who is also DAP's political education director.

He is convinced that Woo will not be referred to the privileges committee or be suspended like DAP's chairperson Karpal Singh, who was taken to task for quoting a wrong legislation during the oath-taking ceremony in Parliament.

Loke does not expect the state government to pass such a motion despite Woo misleading the house because " it is very normal for BN frontbenchers to make mistakes whether in parliament or state assemblies".

"People make mistakes and things like these happen, but why does it become such a big issue when it involves an opposition member and not someone from BN?

"Karpal made a mistake in quoting the wrong statute when reminding MPs to raise their right hand... but he was penalised with a six month suspension without pay. Isn't this downright double-standards?" he questioned.