PETALING JAYA: Perlis state assembly Speaker Rus’sele Eizan has dismissed talk that the state assembly meeting was postponed due to a possible vote of no confidence that would test the support of Mentri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah.
“There is no vote in this [upcoming] assembly. It may not happen,” he said when contacted by The Star.
There have also been talks of a potential move to replace the Speaker.
Responding to this, Rus’sele said: “If (it happens), I would like to see what the reason is.”
“There are two to three reasons why a Speaker can be changed. It can be due to corruption or bringing the House into disrepute,” he said.
“If there is a motion to change the Speaker, the Speaker also has to agree,” he added.
Yesterday, Perlis Mentri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah reportedly said he would respond next week once the new dates are finalised.
Meanwhile, six Perlis PAS assemblymen have demanded an explanation over the postponement of the state assembly meeting, saying the House should convene to deliberate important matters.
“We urge the responsible parties to come forward with an immediate, transparent and accountable explanation in order to preserve public trust and uphold the integrity of the state’s administrative institutions,” they said in a statement yesterday.
The six assemblymen are Mohd Shukri Ramli (Sanglang), Muhammad Azmir Azizan (Santan), Asrul Aimran Abdul Jalil (Kayang), Razali Saad (Simpang Empat), Wan Badariah Wan Saad (Mata Ayer), and Haziq Asyraf Dun (Beseri).
They also expressed serious concern with the sudden decision to postpone the meeting, which they claimed was made without any prior discussion.
“This postponement should not have occurred, as there are many important issues requiring clarification in the state assembly, including matters relating to state investment, land issues, the transfer of officers, the management of the Padang Besar Local Authority, and preparations for the Sukma Games,” they said.
“To the best of our knowledge, such a sudden postponement has never occurred in the history of the Perlis State Legislative Assembly. More disappointingly, no official explanation or discussion was held with state representatives prior to this decision.
“This action clearly does not reflect the spirit of unity within the Perikatan Nasional government, which ought to prioritise consultation and openness,” they added.
The assemblymen said the move has led to various speculations and confusion among the public.
It was reported on Friday that the Perlis state assembly meeting, which was supposed to begin on Tuesday, has been postponed.
The matter was conveyed by the state assembly secretary in a letter dated April 17.
Both the opening and the first meeting of the fourth session of the 15th state assembly, scheduled from April 21 to April 23, have been postponed to a new date yet to be determined.
The meeting would have been the first since the political crisis in December, which ultimately saw the appointment of Abu Bakar as Mentri Besar.
