SHAH ALAM: SUNGAI Burong assemblyman Datuk Shamsuddin Lias has tendered his resignation as Selangor opposition leader, citing the recent amendment to the state legislation that forces him to assume the position of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman as the main reason.
Shamsuddin said the appointment would be meaningless as Barisan Nasional had only two representatives in the seven-seat Selangor PAC.
“How can the opposition assemblymen make any impact or decision when the representation is skewed? I refuse to allow my position and those of BN assemblymen to be reduced to this level when we know we can contribute more to the assembly.
“If the state government is serious about check-and-balance, they must know that it is better to have more opposition representatives in PAC as we would be more critical when handling matters related to the state expenditure. I had requested for the state assembly to consider adding more seats for BN assemblymen in the committee so that we can contribute effectively.
“If I accept the role of chairman, I am allowing them to reduce me to a puppet,” he said after returning his official car to Selangor assembly secretary Elya Marini Darmin at the state legislative assembly building here yesterday.
He pointed out that he had rejected the offer to become PAC chairman twice before the state legislative assembly on Dec 4 approved an amendment to the Selangor Legislative Assembly Standing Order 68 (1), which stipulates that PAC will be automatically chaired by the Selangor opposition leader.
He said he would leave it to Umno state liaison chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar to decide on his replacement as state opposition leader. Attempts to contact Noh were not successful as he is overseas.
Shamsuddin also revealed that the provision of an official vehicle for the state opposition leader was decided during the tenure of former menteri besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, contrary to what has been proclaimed by current Menteri Besar Azmin Ali.
“I am tired of keeping mum. Azmin must not get away with taking credit for others’ work and, most importantly, for manipulating people even when he had done nothing to help.
“I decided to return the car because Azmin made a spectacle out of this. Now, it seems as if the opposition owed him a favour when in truth he did not do anything. I know the issue over the car may seem trivial to others but this concerns the integrity of BN assemblymen.”
Shamsuddin said Khalid was sincere in offering him the official car because he did not inform the media about it while Azmin created a publicity stunt and took credit for what Khalid did.
Meanwhile, state legislative assembly Speaker Hannah Yeoh, in a separate press conference, accepted Shamsuddin’s resignation and urged BN to appoint a new opposition leader soon.
She stressed that the post of PAC chairman was not a “puppet role” because the chairman was responsible for bringing up topics to be discussed based on the state’s audit.
