Speaker Law Choo Kiang has denied practising double standard for allowing only one motion to be debated during this session of the Penang state legislative assembly.

The successful application for the motion was filed by Umno's Pulau Betong assemblyperson Muhammad Farid Saad.

In his proposed motion, Farid urged the state government to cancel reclamation works involving some 4,000 acres at the south of Penang Island and seek alternative financing for the RM27 billion Penang Transport Master Plan.

“If I practised double standard, I would reject Farid’s and allow the others from DAP and PKR to be debated,” Law told reporters who asked him about the matter today outside the Dewan Negeri.

Law, who is PKR’s Bukit Tambun assemblyperson, said there were no grounds to reject Farid’s motion.

“If you want your motion approved, it is better to keep it wide and open than referring to inappropriate clauses,” Law added.

Farid (photo) caused havoc in the previous state assembly proceeding in November when five PKR assemblypersons abstained from voting out his motion, while DAP Tanjung Bungah rep Teh Yee Cheu supported it.

This resulted in two of the five assemblypersons losing their directorships in government-linked companies, while Teh withdrew his support from the Umno motion and resigned from his former post as the party's state organising secretary.

Law, a first-term speaker, has rejected six other motions including one proposed by Teh, who urged for the chief minister's post to be limited to two terms.

This motion is deemed controversial as Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng will be completing his second term by 2018, while many of his party members want him to continue leading Penang.

PKR's Machang Bubok assemblyperson Lee Khai Loon’s motion related to the post of deputy chief minister, which he proposed should be formalised in the state government structure, was also rejected.

“Lee's motion was also rejected on technical grounds. Some of the clauses he referred to when filing his motion were not in line with the Federal Constitution, which can cause confusion,” Law explained.

PKR's Penanti assemblyperson Norlela Ariffin's two motions - on the RM27 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) and Budget 2016 – were rejected too.

Sixteen earlier motions submitted to Law by Norlela - 10 in May and six in November - were all rejected.

Not on the agenda

Meanwhile, Law had also rejected the motion submitted by PKR's whip and Bukit Tengah assemblyperson Ong Chin Wen, who proposed reforms to the state assembly select committee.

Ong had also suggested that new committees for local government, land office and government agencies, and statutory bodies and government-linked companies be formed.

Law said Norlela and Ong’s applications were not put in the agenda for this sitting so that they can refer directly to the relevant committees to review their motion.

“I did not include their motions in the agenda. They can refer directly to the relevant committees to have their motions reviewed; it is better than debating it in the Dewan,” Law said.

Penang governor Abdul Rahman Abas officiated at the first meeting of the fourth session of the 13th Penang legislative assembly today.

The state assembly will be adjourned to May 13 to allow the 40 assemblypersons to digest the various documents to be discussed and debated during the proceedings, and will resume from May 16 to 20.