THE Perak assembly is set to debate the state budget and the anti-party hopping bill during its next sitting, which convenes on Monday.

Speaker Mohammad Zahir Abdul Khalid said the state budget is scheduled to be tabled on Thursday, while the tabling of the anti-party hopping bill by Menter Besar Saarani Mohamad will take place the following week.

He said six assemblymen are expected to debate the bill.

“The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, and the Raja Permaisuri of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim, have agreed to attend the opening ceremony on Tuesday.

“Sultan Nazrin will also deliver his royal address. On the next day, state assemblymen will debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address,” he said at the Perak Darul Ridzuan building in Ipoh today.

Zahir said 58 assemblymen will also take their oath of office on Monday.

However, he said Kepayang assemblyman Nga Kor Ming, who is also Teluk Intan MP and local government development minister will be sworn in on Tuesday because he is in parliament on Monday.

Zahir also said Semanggol assemblyman and Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria is recognised as the new assembly opposition leader, replacing Tebing Tinggi assemblyman Dr Abdul Aziz Bari from DAP.

He also said that the state assembly sitting can be conducted without observing physical distancing.

Meanwhile, assembly secretary Muhammad Nazri Abdullah said he had received one nomination for the speaker and the deputy speaker apiece: Zahir for speaker and Canning assemblyman Jenny Choy for deputy speaker.

The assembly sitting will finish on December 29. – Bernama, December 16, 2022.