KUANTAN: Bilut State Assemblyman Chow Yu Hui was shown the door and suspended from attending the State Assembly sitting tomorrow after refusing to withdraw his criticism of the last general election.
Speaker Datuk Seri Ishak Muhamad made the decision after Chow, from DAP, refused to retract his statement claiming that the general election was unfair and not clean, despite being given thrice to so so.
Chow, earlier issued the statement when he interrupted the winding up by the State Cooperative, Entrepreneurship and Consumerism Committee Chairman Datuk Seri Shahiruddin Ab Moin, at the sitting at Wisma Sri Pahang touching on 160 nations which adopted the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
“The 160 countries which practice GST also conduct clean and just general elections. Why don’t Malaysia?” he said prompting the State Tourism and Culture Chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin to urge him to retract his statement. Chow, however, was adamant with his decision against retracting his statement, resulting in Datuk Ahmad Shukri Ismail (BN-Pulau Tawar) proposing that Chow be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee.
Ahmad Shukri said Chow had used rude languages and issued an accusation and was prejudiced, to the effect that the Election Commission was unclean in carrying out its duties.
“Article 36 (4) of the Pahang State Legislative Assembly Regulation states that it is wrongful for an elected representative to use rude languages. Article 36 (6) also said a State Assemblyman should not be prejudiced towards the other members,” he said. Ishak once again gave Chow the chance to retract his statement, but Chow was adamant with his stand saying: “If I say something incorrect, you can correct me. This is a debate.”
Chow also denied he had issued a statement which was prejudiced towards the other members of the State Assembly claiming the statement was made in general and based on the injustice due to the absence of the opposition news in the mainstream media during the general election.
Ishak, nevertheless, firmly stated that his observation and thinking found the statement issued was not suitable, impolite and wrong under the rules of the meeting.
“As a State Assemblyman, we should respect the State Assembly. Rightly, good and gentle words are used. Don’t ever develop a perception without strong evidence.
“I wish to protect the peace and understanding in the State Assembly. As such, you must have foresight, don’t be carried away by arrogance because we must have mutual respect, whether government or opposition,” he said. Ishak, who said this when persuading Chow to retract his statement, added that a leader must practice good conduct and he could have picked more suitable words. The State Assembly sitting resumes tomorrow.