Saturday November 3, 2012

State govt rapped for slow response to questions

GEORGE TOWN: The state government has been taken to task for delays in providing verbal and written answers in the State Legislative Assembly.

Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah (BN-Seberang Jaya) said he received only one answer for the more than 30 questions he submitted.

“This is inefficient and not transparent,” he said yesterday.

In a press conference immediately after the sitting, Arif Shah said the 11 Barisan representatives had submitted more than 360 questions as each of them was entitled to three verbal questions and 30 written questions.

“But what we received was less than 1% of the answers. Such delay will affect the quality of the debate.

“We demand the answers in 24 hours. If not, then it’s proof that the state government is inefficient, not transparent and has no confidence in its exco members,” he said.

State Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya (BN-Teluk Bahang) also expressed disappointment over the delays.

Arif Shah labelled the state’s 2013 Budget, themed Agenda Ekonomi Saksama by the Chief Minister, as Lim Guan Eng’s “Agenda Ekonomi Sendiri”.

Meanwhile, Dr Hilmi alleged that the Budget for next year was an “election Budget”.

“Lim has also contradicted himself when he said that the state will curb poverty next year.

“They already said they had eradicated poverty in 2009,” he claimed.

He also described the state government’s method of “top up” for households earning less than RM770 a month as “artificial”.

“The approach is wrong.

“This will encourage the people to continue depending on you. We want projects and programmes that are positive and proactive to assist the people,” he said.

He added that in 2008, the Barisan administration brought down the percentage of hardcore poor households to just 0.3%.

“But more than four years now and you (Pakatan Rakyat) still can’t eradicate the 0.3%?” he said.

In an immediate response, Lim said verbal and written answers would be provided latest by next Wednesday.

He said it was a small matter since it also happened in Parliament.

Lim added that the state had furnished some of the answers for the questions but was unsure why the state assembly secretariat had yet to give out the documents.

News

Saturday November 3, 2012

State govt rapped for slow response to questions