THE final state assembly legislative sitting for the year began with a minute silence observation for state leaders who had passed on earlier this year.
The assembly sees a lineup of 39 ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) - Barisan Nasional (BN) state unity bloc versus 11 Opposition members from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (PH - Padang Kota) led the 45-member assembly in bowing their heads out of respect to their former comrades who passed on.
Penang in the 1990s saw a lively exchange of debates between DAP, who was then the main Opposition front and the state BN government, led by Gerakan, who has since quit the coalition and Umno.
Among those involved in such exchanges was former Penang MIC chairman Datuk T. Suppiah, who passed on in June, this year.
Suppiah was the Began Dalam assemblyman from 1974 until 1986.
Former state DAP chairman Teoh Teik Huat died in July after he had served as the Pengkalan Kota assemblyman from 1982 until 1986 and in Paya Terubong from 1986 until 1990.
Teoh was also the Began MP from 1990 until 1995.
The state's first Malay Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Ibrahim Saad passed away last week and he was also a former political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when the latter was the deputy premier.
The sitting also marked their respect to three-term Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Lee Hack Teik from MCA.
He served from 1995 until 2008.
The motorcycle YB as he was called, Lee passed away a few days ago due to an old age ailment.
Gooi Hsiao Leung (PH - Bukit Tengah) shared that Teoh was a character who led DAP during the lean spell as the Opposition.
"He was the same towards both the state and the Opposition. He meant well for the people."
State Speaker Datuk Seri Law Choo Kiang then called into motion the start of the assembly which will continue until next week.
The highlight would be the state fiscal Budget for next year, which Chow would table.
RM100 million annual revenue
Later, Chow told the sitting that Penang can earn up to RM100 million more in terms of annual revenue when the state increases its land taxation rates for the first time in 30 - years, from next year.
Such taxes contribute about 45% to the state's revenue.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo (PH - Datuk Keramat) announced that the new legal committee to oversee the appeals board of the Freedom of Information Act is now led by lawyer K. Kumaraendran.
He is assisted by former Bar Council president Datuk Abdul Fareed Abdul Ghafoor as well as five other committee members. - The Vibes, November 22, 2024.
