NS State Assembly: Rotation system for oral questions better — Loke

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Anthony Loke

SEREMBAN: The rotation system for oral questions in the Negeri Sembilan State Assembly is much fairer to the opposition, said Anthony Loke (DAP-Chennah).

Loke, who is also Transport Minister, said it was far better than the old system practised before which only favoured the state government.

As such, to implement it more effectively, he suggested that the Speaker, Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, incorporate it in the Standing Orders.

“This is something I have called for many times because it gives an opportunity including to the opposition to ask critical questions because they are accountable and answerable to the people…before the system was unfavourable to the opposition. I congratulate the Speaker for bringing about this change.

“Although now I am on the other side, I do not want to see only the government having a say, that is old style,” he said when debating the motion of thanks for the Royal address in the state assembly yesterday.

He also urged the State Assembly to institutionalise the position of opposition leader just like Parliament does to befit the status.

He also told the assembly that he had asked Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad to revive its Seremban-Kuala Lumpur express commuter train service to help realise the “work in KL, stay in Seremban” concept.

Meanwhile, state Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government committee chairman Teo Kok Seong, replying to a question from Chew Seh Yong (DAP-Lobak), said three People’s Housing Projects were being undertaken in the state to facilitate purchase of low-cost homes.

They are PPR Rembau (Seremban district which provides 100 units), 452 units at PPR Chembong (Rembau district and 100 units PPR Tanah Merah (Port Dickson district).

He added that the state government had identified 11 more sites for PPR projects and was working with the federal government on this.

The state assembly sits again today. — Bernama