Penang assemblymen in shouting match over sexist remarks, both evicted

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Legislature session was off to a fiery start after two elected representatives were kicked out of the august hall.
Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang ejected RSN Rayer (DAP – Seri Delima) and Datuk Shah Headan Ayub Hussain Shah (BN – Teluk Bahang) after both were engaged in a shouting match.
He ejected them after repeated calls for them to calm down were ignored and ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort them out.
According to Shah Headan, the incident was sparked after Rayer allegedly said BN treated women like sex objects.
"How can you say that? I have a mother, a wife, a daughter. Such things should not be raised, why not touch on issues regarding Penang," he said when met outside.
When asked, Rayer said he was referring to Federal Territories Minister Datuk Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor who reportedly told women to dress shabbily to avoid being sexually assaulted.
He also said he spoke on the remarks made by Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Shahbudin Yahaya on marriage and rape made in Parliament earlier this year.
Both have been ejected for the length of a day.
Earlier, Law rejected a motion proposing Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng resign after he was charged for graft and abuse of power as proposed by State Legislature Opposition Leader Datuk Jahara Hamid (BN – Teluk Air Tawar).
He said the ruling bloc (of Pakatan Harapan or PH) have already made their stand clear that Lim did not have to go on leave which he noted has been widely reported.
The motion by Datuk Muhamad Farid Saad for Penang civil servants and administration members to go on leave when charged for crimes was also rejected.
Law said such matters were already covered in existing rules and procedures as contained in the civil service regulations by the Prime Minister's Department as well as provisions in the Penang Constitution.
He said the regulations already outlined what action can be taken in the various stages of any disciplinary action being undertaken.
"Why is the legislature being seen to create a 'ketidakadilan' (injustice) for our civil servants?" he said prior to the question and answer session.