THE first Penang legislative assembly sitting post-GE14 wrapped up this evening with the appointments of Lim Hui Ying and Yusmadi Yusoff as senators.

Both will represent Penang in the Dewan Negara for three years.

Hui Ying, 55, is the daughter of DAP veteran leader and Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang, and the younger sister of Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was formerly Penang chief minister.

The Universiti Malaya economics graduate is currently Penang DAP secretary and was campaign director of the party in the 13th and 14th general elections, which saw DAP win big in the state.

Yusmadi, 44, who is formerly Balik Pulau MP from 2008 to 2013, is a well-known human rights lawyer from PKR.

The Penang boy has been appointed to many inter-parliamentarian committees, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Their nominations by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow were supported unanimously by all members of the House.

Members of the state Public Accounts Committee were also appointed, with opposition leader Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor (BN-Sungai Dua) as chairman.

The members from Pakatan Harapan are Chris Lee (Pulau Tikus), Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Seri Delima), M. Satees (Bagan Dalam), Lee Khai Loon (Machang Bubuk), Dr Norlela Ariffin (Penanti), Gooi Hsiao-Leung (Bukit Tengah), Faiz Fadzil (Permatang Pasir), and Zolkifly Md Lazim (Teluk Bahang). The last member is PAS’ Mohd Yusni Mat Piah (Penaga).

The PAC committee’s job is to check accounts and the Auditor-General’s Reports tabled to the House, or other matters referred to it.

The House also approved the appointments of members to the Rights and Privileges Committee, Assembly Committee, Constitutional Committee, and Rules of Proceedings Committee.

Earlier, the House also passed the amendments to the Wood-based Industries Enactment 1986.

The amendments, tabled by state environment exco Phee Boon Poh, are related to prosecuting offenders and to enhancing penalties, such as the amount of fine and years of imprisonment, for various offences under the enactment.

The state exco had discussed and approved the amendments to be tabled at the state assembly in June, he said.

“The amendments are to tackle illegal businesses in the industry, and to address the existing light penalties and the absence of fines for minor offences,” Phee said.

Several government backbenchers, who are lawyers, debated the proposed amendments, voicing their support.

Gooi lauded the state for putting in the amendments, especially the penalties for minor offences.

He said the amendments would also enable the state to directly take enforcement action, adding that the move was also good for keeping Penang a green state.

Gooi also suggested that the state set up a task force to encourage more public and private sector collaborations that could help the industry, which was big business in Penang and Malaysia.

Phee said there is already a task force. – August 10, 2018.