SHAH ALAM: Proceedings of the coming 12th Selangor legislative assembly will be broadcast live, in its entirety, over the state's official website next week.

Selangor Welfare, Women Affairs, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee chairman Rodziah Ismail told the New Straits Times yesterday the entire four-day proceedings will be broadcast over www.selangor.gov.my.

The proceedings are scheduled to start next Wednesday and will be held till Friday before resuming the following Monday.

Rodzaih said the state exco had approved the live broadcast which was proposed by speaker Teng Chang Khim.

She said the entire broadcast would cost only RM13,000.
Meanwhile, Teng said yesterday he was delighted that the state had approved the move.

He said the live broadcast was a start in legislative reform in Malaysia and that Selangor was prepared to lead the way in establishing a more transparent democracy for the nation.

"This marks a new era for democracy and surpasses even the move by Parliament which limits live telecast to 30 minutes during question time."

Teng said the Barisan Nasional state administration had on Nov 19 last year broadcast the former menteri besar's budget speech live over the same website.

However, the broadcast was limited to only the budget speech and not the debates which followed.

Teng said existing information computer technology infrastructure at the state assembly would be fully utilised.

"The infrastructure already exists and the cost of RM13,000 will be used to outsource cameras and crews for the telecast."

Teng said he was not sure how many people would log in for the live proceedings but added the web broadcast had more potential to attract viewers than the parliamentary question time broadcast on television.

"More people will have access to view proceedings, which are held during working hours, via computers in their offices."