Hee claims she has power to allow Ganesan's appointment

Perak Assembly Deputy Speaker Hee Yit Foong said she has the power to takeover the running of the assembly session as specified under Article 36A (1) (b) of the Perak State Constitution.

She said her decision to chair the assembly session to appoint Datuk R. Ganesan as the new Speaker yesterday was not an abuse of power or a power grab from former speaker V. Sivakumar.

"No doubt the Speaker (Sivakumar) has the power but as the Deputy Speaker, I can takeover when he is not capable of convening the session," she told a press conference here today.

Hee (Independent-Jelapang) said it was normal to appoint a new Speaker when the existing Speaker has lost the confidence of a majority of state assemblymen.

"The opposition can name a candidate as the new Speaker. This is the democratic process in Malaysia."
She denied an English newspaper report that Thomas Su Keong Seong (DAP-Pasir Pinji) had thrown a RM50 note on her table during the commotion yesterday.

"I would have picked up the money and give it to the needy. Being a stingy person, he was just showing off and will never drop the RM50 note," she said. - BERNAMA