Published: Monday January 24, 2011 MYT 9:37:00 AM
Updated: Monday January 24, 2011 MYT 9:07:52 PM
S'gor assembly: Live Updates: Proposed amendment is defeated
By WANI MUTHIAH and A. RUBAN
*Selangor goverment fails to get two-third majority to amend the state constitution with 34 voting for it and 20 against it. Thirty-eight votes were needed to pass the amendment.
*MB: The Exco will meet soon to decide if state-secretary Khusrin can take the oath of secrecy before him.
*MB says a judicial review of the 1993 amendment to the state constitution will be filed but did not say when it will be done.
SHAH ALAM: Live updates from the state assembly sitting Monday.
06.55pm: Khalid says a judicial review of the 1993 amendment to the state constitution will be filed but did not say when it will be done.
06.30pm: Sitting is adjourned.
06.28pm: Khalid says that even though the amendment did not go through, the efforts of the Pakatan government has been made known.
06.25pm: Selangor government fails to get two-third majority to amend the state constitution. All 34 Pakatan reps voted for it while the 20 BN assemblyman were against it. Thirty-eight votes were needed to pass the amendment.
Speaker Teng did not exercise his vote while Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hisham was not allowed into the assembly hall as his seat had been declared vacant.
Speaker Teng announced that as the two-third majority was not achieved, the amendment could not be called for a second reading.
06.15pm: Voting on the proposed amendment has begun.
06.00pm: The sitting has been extended up to 7pm.
05.05pm: Sg Burong assemblyman, in his debate, says that amending the constitution would make the MB more powerful. He said this was unacceptable and that was why Barisan rejected the move.
04.50pm: In a press conference on the sidelines of the state assembly Khalid says that since Barisan members had rejected the motion to amend the constitution, it cannot go through.
Barisan rejection of the move to amend the constitution to give the Sultan more power was reflective of their declining support for the royal institution.
He adds that Barisan's reasons for not supporting the motion were not acceptable because their decision was based on their party loyalty and not public interest.
Khalid also says the Exco will have a discussion to decide if Khusrin could take the oath of secrecy before him.
03.00pm: Azmin and Satim trade insults during the former's delivery of his debate.
02.30pm: Sitting resumes, Azim says Mohd Khusrin was not the most senior in the eight names submitted as potential state secretary candidates.
01.00pm: State assembly sitting adjourns for lunch, debate on proposed amendment to resume at 2.30pm.
12.25pm: Azmin says provisions giving the MB the right in the selection of the state's top officers have been completely wiped out, and this removed the rights of the people as the MB was the representative of the people in a state.
12.10pm: Azmin says the state secretary must be a candidate who will carry forth and implement the policies and aspirations of the government of the day.
12.05pm: Azmin launches a scorching attack on Umno in his debate. He also says Selangor is lucky to have a knowledgeable and intellectual Sultan.
11.55am: Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman and Selangor PKR chief Azmin Ali is delivering his debate.
11.40am: Satim said the state's Barisan elected representatives did not want to be caught-up in Pakatan's political play. He added that the non-support did not mean Barisan was showing disrespect to the Sultan. Satim said Barisan did not want the Sultan to be made used of.
He said if the state was really sincere, why not ask for the Sultan to be given full power pertaining to the appointment of the state secretary.
11.30am: Satim says the four reasons are that the proposed amendment goes against the federal constitution, is politically motivated and hypocritical, that Barisan has never overlooked the Sultan's sovereign power since the 1993 constitutional amendment and the MB's non-acceptance of the Sultan's consent of Khusrin's appointment as state secretary.
He also outlined all of the Pakatan state government's alleged disrespect towards the Selangor Sultan and palace.
11.25am: Satim reiterates that Barisan-elected representatives will not support the motion to amend the state constitution because of four reasons.
11.15am: Opposition chief Datuk Satim Diman says Monday's sitting is not legal as notice was given within a short span.
Teng explains that there are provisions for the Speaker to call a sitting at short notice, and tells Satim that as the Opposition chief, he should know the state constitution well.
11.10am: Khalid finishes tabling proposed amendment to state constitution.
11.00am: Badrul Hisham tells press conference that he's not sure when he's going to court to file case. He says he will speak with his lawyers, adding that according to the Election Commission, he is still the Port Klang assemblyman. He tries to leave the premises but cannot because of a demonstration at the state secretariat gate. He then returns to the media gallery.
The demonstration at the gate is by Gabungan Anti-Penyelewengan Selangor (GAPS).
10.55am: Khalid says despite being the head of the state government, he was neither informed nor consulted on the appointment of the state secretary.
10.35am: Badrul Hisham is holding a press conference in the media gallery.
10.25am: Khalid lambasts the Chief Secretary to the Government for saying the state had no power to change the laws. He also recounts amendments made to the federal and state constitutions which slowly eroded the power of the country's monarchy.
10.20am: State secretary Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi is at the sitting, in the state secretary's seat behind the MB, along with the state legal adviser and state financial officer.
10.15am: Badrul Hisham stopped by authorities from entering the sitting at 10am. State secretariat guards told him it was on the order by the Speaker. He was escorted into the media gallery but had to wait outside as the room was packed with reporters and photographers. He finds a seat later.
10.10am: Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim begins his speech to table the proposed amendment to the state constitution.
10.05am: Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah's proclamation granting consent to the sitting being read by the state assembly secretary.
10.00am: State assembly sitting commences.
09.50am: Badrul Hisham is seated at a table with Umno members, including Selangor Umno information chief Abdul Shukur Idrus.
Badrul Hisham tells reporters he received an invitation letter to attend the sitting prior to his seat being declared vacant by the Speaker.
He says he has not received any letter from the Speaker's office barring him from attending the sitting.
He also said he would be filing a suit at the Shah Alam High Court later in the afternoon to challenge the Speaker's declaration.
09.35am: Incumbent Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah enters the annex flanked by a heavyset man who is believed to be his bodyguard. He is surrounded by photographers and reporters. Several elected representatives, including Barisan members, are seen laughing at the commotion surrounding Badrul Hisham.
09.30am: The state legislative's annex building is packed with journalists, state secretariat officers as well as well as Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional members.
09.00am: Small groups of people have gathered about a kilometre from the state secretariat building. Police and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel are in position in and around the state secretariat building.
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor state assembly sitting Monday is expected to vote on an amendment to the state constitution seeking to return the powers of appointment of the state secretary, financial officer and legal adviser to the Sultan and Mentri Besar.
Embattled, Barisan Nasional-friendly independent assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah, whose Port Klang seat was declared vacant by the Speaker last week, has insisted he will attend the sitting.
However, Speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim said Badrul Hisham would be escorted out if he insisted in attending the sitting.
Related Stories:
Badrul intends to show up despite being barred
Badrul can’t attend sitting
Noh: Move to amend Selangor constitution a political gimmick
All eyes on special S’gor state assembly on Monday
Pakatan taking a huge gamble
Teng: Ex-rep lied about ceremony
S’gor speaker notifies EC of Port Klang seat vacancy
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