IPOH: Gunung Semanggol assemblyman Razman Zakaria has been suspended from the Perak state assembly over claims he wrongly made about an event in Teluk Intan last year.
Razman, who is Perak PAS commissioner, will serve a six-month suspension with immediate effect starting yesterday.
At a press conference held later, he said he had only wanted to protect the sovereignty of the country.
He said while he was not happy with the decision, he accepted it.
“As a lawmaker, I will respect and abide by the decision,” Razman said, adding that he would use the time to help with the Ayer Kuning by-election campaign.
At the same press conference, Manjoi assemblyman Mohd Hafez Sabri called for the State Speaker to be fair and to have an equal number of members in the Rights and Privileges Committee.
During the sitting, Speaker Datuk Mohamad Zahir Abdul Khalid made the decision after a resounding vote on a motion by Bercham assemblyman Ong Boon Piow and seconded by Rungkup assemblyman Datuk Shahrul Zaman Yahya.
Razman was referred to the state assembly’s Rights and Privileges Committee on Dec 4 last year for making unverified allegations and also remarks that were deemed to be racist and offensive.
The statements were related to an incident during a cultural event in October last year.
Razman had also wrongly alleged that Kepayang assemblyman Nga Kor Ming and Pasir Bedamar assemblyman Woo Kah Leong were involved in the event.
Razman has since apologised to Nga and Woo.
There was also another motion that was moved by Ong against Hulu Kinta assemblyman Mohamad Arafat Varisai Mahamad for making an unsavoury remark in the August house last year.
A recommendation for Mohamad Arafat to give a written apology and retract his statement was moved, which was seconded by Shahrul Zaman.
Following a vote, the motion was passed.
At a separate press conference, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani said Barisan Nasional will explain to the people in Ayer Kuning on Razman’s suspension.
He said it was only fair for an offender to be punished and not cry foul about it.
“We can talk and have discussions but there has to be a limit. We cannot incite and insult,” he said.
