A livid Cheah chastised the PAC for dishonouring the orders of the Speaker as the latter had ordered that the report be prepared six months ago.
“There are many people out there spreading untruths about our state government, insinuating (that) we have done something sinister.
“I do not want our good name to be tarnished, but it’s regrettable that after six months, the PAC report is still not on our tables.
“There is absolutely no respect for this august house or the Speaker,” he said to the chagrin of several executive councillors.
State exco Phee Boon Poh (DAP-Sungai Puyu) stood up and said: “You turn here and turn there; what are you doing!” (“You pusing sini, you pusing sana, apa you buat?”)
Another exco member, Lim Hock Seng (DAP-Bagan Jermal), stood up and said : “You mix up all things like rojak! Let me explain!”
The bickering became intense as Cheah, Phee and Lim repeatedly screamed at each other.
An angry Cheah was heard repeating: “Do not disturb, this is my floor!” while thumping his fist on the table.
Cheah then said he and other assemblymen found it difficult to explain to the public the RM130 million fee for a feasibility study on the George Town-Butterworth undersea tunnel, hence his anger.
“RM130 million has been paid before a project was started or completed. Then you say: ‘Oh wait, there is a Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) study!’
“And the DEIA was supposed to be completed on April 16, and yet the PAC report is still not done.
“Do you know how difficult it is to answer to people with such things happening?”
The RM6.3 billion tunnel and three paired roads project was also questioned by federal minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan recently.
The state government, through Lim, had justified the cost of the feasibility study, stating it was “reasonable”.
see: Exco: RM305m for study on Penang tunnel within limits
In an attempt to placate the situation, R S N Rayer (DAP-Seri Delima) pointed out a House Rule on the PAC report.
“Section 109A(7) states that the PAC must report from time to time, but the report is not here,” he said.
Speaker Law Choo Kiang (PKR-Bukit Tambun) turned off the microphones of those bickering and ordered all to be calm.
Law then said the lack of a PAC report had been raised before.
“It was also reminded that PAC should come up with a complete report.
“According to law, yes, the PAC committee must report from time to time.
“And for your information, there is no report from PAC. Members of the PAC, I urge you to quickly send the report.”
Cheah then asked: “Two times the PAC has failed to produce PAC report. When will they release it?”
He then continued the remainder of his debate on the motion of thanks to the Yang di-Pertua Negeri.
State PAC Chairman A Tanasekharan later told FMT the report would be submitted at the next sitting of the assembly.
He said the delay was due to a hearing on the cost of the feasibility studies for the tunnel and three paired roads project.
“There was a delay because we had to wait for the DEIA report before we could prepare the comprehensive report,” Tanasekharan said.
The assembly ended at 10pm and will continue at 9.30am tomorrow.