By Ngeh Koo Ham – DAP national deputy secretary general,  Perak DAP state chairman, Beruas MP and Sitiawan ADUN

Since the grab of power by BN on 6/2/2009 led by PM Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak and BN MB Dato’ Seri Zambry Bin Abdul Kadir, Perak Assembly has never functioned properly. Amongst the things the BN Government did was to reject or refuse to answer questions that implicate the Government of corruption, cronyism and abuse of power. Parliament and State Assemblies exist for this very purpose that is,  to check on the Government of its abuses.

In the Malaysian Parliament, questions that require oral answers that are not answered during the Parliamentary sittings will be given written answers. Pakatan Rakyat elected representatives in Perak have asked that the same be followed in the Perak State Assembly but the BN Government has refused to do so. Perak BN Menteri Besar, Dato’ Seri Zambry Bin Abdul Kadir has given the excuse 2 days ago that the Pakatan Rakyat State Governments of Penang and Perak also did not do so. I have checked with the Chief Minister of Penang, YAB Lim Guan Eng and the Speaker of Selangor State Assembly, Mdm Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan and they have confirmed that all oral questions that could not be answered in the State Assembly sittings will be subsequently given written answers. Dato’ Seri Zambry owe an apology to the people and the State Governments of Penang and Selangor for misleading the people and defaming the State Governments of Penang and Selangor. Will Dato’ Seri Zambry be honourable enough to tender the apology?

As illustrations on the ridiculous conduct of the Perak BN Government  in the State Assembly, I append below the questions that were rejected by the BN Government to enable for the people to assess whether Perak State Assembly is functioning or its meetings are just a farce.

In the 2^nd meeting  4^th Session of the 12^th Perak State Assembly which sat from 15^th August 2011, my following 3 questions which require written answers were rejected.

Soalan-soalan yang memerlukan Jawapan bertulis

1)    Bertanya kepada YAB Menteri Besar untuk senaraikan 200,000 hakmilik tanah baru seperti yang diumumkan oleh Menteri Besar dan dilapurkan dalam Star Metro pada 30hb Jun 2011. Berikan nama penerima-penerima hakmilik-hakmilik tersebut yang merupakan pemberimilikan tanah baru (new land alienation).

2)    Bertanya kepada YAB Menteri Besar untuk senaraikan nama mereka yang telah diluluskan tanah yang sekarang diusahakan oleh lebih kurang 100 petani di Tronoh Mines di Tapah dan kenapa tanah-tanah ini diluluskan kepada mereka yang tidak ada kaitan dengan tanah ini dan bukan kepada petani-petani yang sedia ada di situ.

3)    Bertanya kepada YAB Menteri Besar berapa kalikah kadar premium bagi lot-lot perumahan Kampung Tersusun dan Kampung Baru bertukar dari 6/2/2009 hingga ke hari ini (27/2/2011). Nyatakan kadar premium untuk lot-lot perumahan bagi Kampung Tersusun dan Kampung Baru dalam tempoh tersebut.

The first question was rejected on the ground that a question cannot be asked as to the truth of a newspaper report. The second question was rejected on the ground that it is with regard to a secret. The third question was rejected on the ground that the answer can be obtained from a normal reference book. Anyone reading the reasons giving will see how ridiculous they are.

At the 3^rd meeting,  5^th Session of the 12^th Perak Assembly which sat from 17/12/2012, all my 3 questions requiring oral answers and 3 out of my 5 questions requiring written answers were rejected. (Each Assemblyman/woman is allowed to ask the maximum of 3 questions requiring oral answers and 5 questions requiring written answers).

Soalan-soalan yang memerlukan jawapan lisan

1. Bertanya kepada YAB Menteri Besar untuk menyatakan syarat-syarat dan terma-terma tanah 6 ekar tanah ( tapak bangunan pejabat dan stor Majlis Perbandaran Manjung di Pekan Sitiawan sebelah Crystal Hotel ) diluluskan kepada Kinta Berkat Sdn Bhd untuk dimajukan bagi Majilis Perbandaran Manjung.

2. Bertanya kepada YAB Menteri Besar untuk menyatakan syarat-syarat dan terma-terma keluluskan pemberimilikan tanah seluas 15.0 ekar di Mukim Lumut, Daerah Manjung yang diluluskan kepada Reality Axis Sdn Bhd.

3. Bertanya kepada YAB Menteri Besar untuk menyatakan syarat-syarat dan terma-terma keluluskan pemberimilikan sebahagian Lot 6593 seluas 32.07 ekar tanah di Mukim Kamunting, Daerah Larut Matang dan Selama kepada YBU Holding Sdn Bhd.

Soalan-soalan yang memerlukan jawapan bertulis

1. Bertanya kepada YAB Menteri Besar untuk menyatakan syarat-syarat dan terma-terma tanah seluas 147.84 ekar di Mukim Lumut, Daerah Manjung yang diluluskan kepada Kinta Berkat Sdn Bhd untuk dimajukan bagi Majlis Perbandaran Manjung.

2. Bertanya kepada YAB Menteri Besar untuk menyatakan syarat-syarat dan terma-terma keluluskan pemberimilikan tanah seluas 58 ekar di Bandar Lumut, Daerah Manjung yang diluluskan kepada J & S Holidings Sdn Bhd.

3. Bertanya kepada YAB Menteri Besar untuk menyatakan butir-butir tanah yang diluluskan kepada Toyo Chemicals Sdn Bhd, syarat-syarat dan terma-terma tanah tersebut diluluskan pemberimilikan kepada syarikat tersebut.

All the 6 questions were rejected on the ridiculous ground that the answers can be obtained from normal reference books. I have offered publicly to pay RM10,000-00 for such a reference book which has answers to the above said questions but no one has come forward with such a book. I challenge Dato’ Seri Zambry to find me such a book failing which he should reply the above said questions. He is making a joke of himself.

I believe the people are very interested to the answers to the above said questions as it involved tens of thousand acres of state land worth billions of ringgit. People would like to know if  they are given to cronies at the expense of the people of Perak.

Question 3 above asked at the 2^nd meeting of the 4^th Session of the 12^th State Assembly is also very relevant to the people as confusing answers had been given in the media by the BN Perak State Government.

The same happened to the many questions posed by the PR Perak State elected representatives where many of the questions are rejected without a valid reason except that it will expose the abuses and scandals of BN Perak Government.

I call on Dato’ Seri Zambry to apologise to the people and the State Governments of  Penang and Selangor. I also call on him to agree to answer all questions raised by Perak elected representatives at the Perak State Assembly.