Shouting match erupts in Perak State Assembly over MB's award

IPOH: A shouting match erupted between Barisan Nasional (BN) and opposition MPs at the Perak State Assembly today.
The heated exchange between the MPs started when Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin (PH-Changkat Jering) brought up the issue of the BrandLaureate Nation Building Brand Icon Leadership Award received by Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir.
Mohamad Nizar challenged Zambry and MB Inc to issue a denial regarding allegations that the award was bought.
Last month, Perak Amanah chairman Asmuni Awi had claimed the award was given to Zambry in August after MB Inc paid RM381,113.86 for it. A report was also lodged with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
Datuk Mohammad Zahir Abdul Khalid (BN-Kamunting) stood up and asked Mohammad Nizar to provide evidence on the allegations since the issue was raised in the sitting.
At this point, members from both sides got into a shouting match for several minutes, before Deputy Speaker Datuk Nasaruddin Hashim brought the house to order.
Nassaruddin told the house that Zambry may reply to the issue during his winding up speech on the budget.
Mohamad Nizar also asked the state government to review agreements made with several government agencies and other entities 40 to 50 years ago.
"This is to enable the state to increase revenue as these bodies are commercial entities," he added.
Meanwhile, the sitting was told that Pangkor Island will be exempted from the Goods and Services Tax (GST), once the duty free status for the island is implemented.
Zambry (BN-Pangkor) in his reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (PH-Sitiawan), said the Finance Ministry had made the announcement on the matter recently.
"The declaration was our dream and we have achieved it after the announcement was made in Budget 2018," he said.