Opposition plans to handle socio-economic issues via new committees

Kepayang assemblyman Nga Kor Ming (third from left) and Changkat Jering assemblyman Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (third from right) dstributing apples to members of the press during a short break at the state assembly sitting on Friday (Dec 1).

THE state Opposition has proposed to establish three select committees to look into various socio-economic issues.

Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Kepayang) said the setting up of the committees were aimed at monitoring the performance of government-linked companies (GLCs) local councils, and the management of land issues respectively.

“The committees will ensure the companies and agencies involved will carry out operations more effectively and efficiently,” Nga said during a press conference at the state assembly last Friday.

The committees, Nga said, should be authorised to call officers involved to attend hearings and answer queries with regard to projects undertaken by their organisations.

Highlighting the case of a state GLC involved in logging activities, he said according to the state’s Auditor-General Report 2012, the company had reported a loss of about RM13mil since 2009 for the next three years.

“The reply from the state government did not explain in detail the reasons for the losses.

“A select committee will be able to probe into the matter to clear the doubt,” he added.

Nga said the state Opposition had submitted a memorandum about its proposal to speaker Datuk Seri S.K. Devamany three months ago.

“However, so far, we have not gotten any reply from the assembly,” he said.