Selangor Opposition leader thrown out of Assembly

(The Star) - Selangor Opposition chief Datuk Shamsudin Lias (BN-Sg Burung) was thrown out of the state legislative assembly for unruly behaviour during debate time.

Deputy Speaker Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad ordered Shamsudin to leave the house when he came in defence of his Barisan counterpart Halimaton Saadiah Bohan (Kota Damansara) who was taken to task for allegedly making an erroneous statement when debating.

Halimaton Saadiah had said rental of government low cost flats had been increased from RM124 to RM 250 since June this year.

"My constituents have been complaining about this and the increase is a burden to senior citizens and the disabled," said Halimaton Saadiah.

This raised the hackles of the Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen as the rental was in actual fact raised in 2007 and not in 2013 as alleged by Halimaton Saadiah.

Elizabeth Wong (PKR-Bukit Lanjan) stood up and said that the issue had already been explained.

Halimaton Saadiah was then told to retract her statement but the first term assemblyman refused to do so.

The Kota Damansara assemblyman was then told that she would be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee for creating ill intent by misleading the house if she was adamant in her refusal to retract.

This irked Shamsudin who stood-up and lambasted the Pakatan Rakyat representatives for always saying the Opposition had ill intent towards the state.

Nik Nazmi ordered Shamsudin to leave.

Later at a press conference, Shamsudin said he was fed-up with the Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen's regular citation of bad intent whenever the Opposition addressed an issue.

"I was ordered out because the deputy Speaker said I breached the standing order. I accept that," said Shamsudin.

He added that all he wanted was a healthy debate.

Later, Nik Nazmi told a press conference that he ejected Shamsudin for disregarding his position as Speaker under Standing Order 44 (2).

He said Shamsudin had stood-up in defence of Halimaton Saadiah after she had refused to retract her erroneous statement.

"He did not cite any Standing Order in spite of me giving him many opportunities to use a Standing Order," said Nik Nazmi.
He added that he had suspended Shamsudin for only a day.