DAP questions PKR reps for not voting on BNmotion

BY SANGEETHA AMARTHALINGAM

Published: 21 November 2015 12:26 PM

DAP will leave it to PKR to deal with its 5 assemblymen who abstained from voting on a Barisan Nasional (BN) motion on land reclamation. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, November 21, 2015.

The move by five PKR assemblymen who abstained from voting on a motion on land reclamation by Barisan Nasional (BN) needs to be assessed by the party.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he would leave the matter to PKR but the impression given was that the party stood with Umno, having decided not to vote in unison with DAP against the motion.

“Yes, the impression is that PKR is with Umno. We leave it to the party to carefully assess it. If I meet with (PKR president) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah, I would definitely brief her about it,” said Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general.

Yesterday, Umno's Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhamad Farid Saad forwarded a motion that called for projects involving land reclamation to fund or be swapped in exchange for development of basic infrastructure, transport or others, to be subjected to a public hearing before a decision is made.

Farid also said all new plans for land reclamation projects should be put on hold until a detailed study on oceanic and environmental impact was done and projects detrimental to the environment should be cancelled.

The motion sparked a heated debate between Lim and Farid, which the former claimed was unnecessary as there were federal laws such as detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIAs) and the National Physical Plan Council that governed sea projects.

The motion was rejected with 23 against 10 ayes.

Five PKR backbenchers – Ong Chin Wen (Bukit Tengah), Cheah Kah Peng (Kebun Bunga), Lee Khai Loon (Machang Bubuk), Dr T. Jayabalan (Batu Uban) and Dr Norlela Ariffin (Penanti) – abstained.

However, among those who voted in favour of the motion was DAP’s Teh Yee Cheu, Tanjung Bungah assemblyman, who later communicated his mistake for supporting the motion, and apologised to the party.

Speaking to reporters after opening the International Forum on Human Rights Violations in Sri Lanka, Lim reiterated that the motion was a “slick and devious” move by BN to trap the government.

“We only approved 60 acres of reclamation but BN approved 3,241 acres of land during their tenure. Out of that, 774 acres have been reclaimed by companies including by E&O Bhd (Seri Tanjung Pinang 1) and Rayston Consortium (Butterworth) Sdn Bhd (Butterworth Outer Ring Road). Another 2,500 acres remain.

“They are the culprit and part of the problem. In wanting to promote themselves as the hero when they are the villains. He wants us to postpone projects that are already approved.

“If we do that, we have to pay compensation. That is why we (DAP) oppose the motion. We cannot accept that they (want to be) holier than thou when they approved the projects.

“You man up first and apologise for forcing it down our throats (then) before you put in the motion. We will never stand with Umno. It is a trap and you are stupid to fall for this,” he said. – November 21, 2015.