Rejected motions deteriorates PKR lawmaker's health

GEORGE TOWN: A Penang PKR lawmaker was so upset after five of her motions filed at the Penang legislature were rejected that she suffered chest pains and had to seek medical treatment.
Penanti assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin said this was the first time she was experiencing such pains after finding out her motions were rejected by the assembly.
She said she and her assistants had worked hard on coming up with the motions but was “dibuang begitu saja” (just thrown away).
“This is me right now ... there is only so much you can take when people in power bully you to extinction,” she said in a Facebook posting dated May 1 next to a cartoon about loneliness.
When contacted, Norlela confirmed the post was hers and reiterated that she was upset over what happened.
The motions are regarding gender friendly planning, enforcement of erosion guidelines, the return of Basic and Public Infrastructure Funds (PIA), enforcement against illegal factories and compliance with mining laws.
“I can only mentioned these in my debate, what can I do?” she asked, adding that she has brought up the issues with various government departments before.
In Bukit Mertajam, her plight was noticed by Penang Legislative Assembly Opposition Leader Datuk Jahara Hamid who chided the state government.
She said this showed the Penang administration was not interested in solving problems faced by locals.
“Imaging what is the fate of the BN (Barisan Nasional) when we want to table motions since they can ignore their own assemblyman,” she said in a press conference.
The state assembly resumes proceedings on May 11 after the date was shifted to accommodate polling day for the Permatang Pauh by-election which falls on May 7.
In response, Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang said the motions Norlela submitted were similar to the questions she had already submitted to the assembly.
"These written questions were accepted," he told theSun in a text message adding the state executive councilors will be answering them when proceedings resume on May 11.