Penang Legislative Assembly Speaker Law Choo Kiang chided the elected representatives to be “more serious” about their role in the House, which sits twice a year, and warned them to be present during the question-and-answer sessions.

Law (PKR-Bukit Tambun) criticised those who were not in the assembly when their questions came up during the daily question-and-answer session yesterday and today.

“It was you who wanted amendments to the Standing Order to extend the Q & A session,” Law told the 39 representatives in the state assembly this morning. Pakatan Harapan has 29 reps - DAP 19, PKR 10, while PAS has one and Umno has 10.

“After the Standing Orders were amended, you were not in the House,” Law added.

The Standing Order was amended to extend the Q & A session from three hours per session to 90 minutes daily. The assemblypersons had then wanted more of the written questions to be addressed by the 10 state executive councillors in the state assembly.

However, Law noticed that yesterday and today, several assemblypersons were “missing” when their written questions came up.

Assemblypersons who submitted written questions but were not in the House will not get their queries answered, Law added.

They are Roslan Saidin (BN-Pinang Tunggal), Shah Headan Ayoob Hussein Shah (BN-Teluk Bahang), Salleh Man (PAS-Permatang Pasir) and Mahmud Zakaria (BN-Sungai Acheh). Nordin Ahmad (BN-Bayan Lepas), who was on sick leave, skipped the Q&A session yesterday.

Today, those who skipped the session were Mohd Zain Ahmad (BN-Penaga), Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong), Roslan Saidin (BN-Pinang Tunggal), Shah Headan Ayoob Hussein Shah (BN-Teluk Bahang), Yap Soo Huey (DAP-Pulau Tikus) and Yeoh Soon Hin (DAP-Paya Terubong). Lydia Ong Kok Fooi (DAP-Berapit), who was on sick leave.

“I am warning all of you to be more serious about your role here in the Dewan. Please be present during the Q and A session, especially when your written questions are up for answers, or else you will not get your questions answered,” Law warned.