MB Azmin urges BN state opposition to select leader.

HULU LANGAT, Dec 12 — Selangor mentri besar Mohamed Azmin Ali today urged the state opposition Barisan Nasional (BN) to appoint a leader following the sudden resignation of its leader Datuk Shamsudin Lias on Monday.

Under the applicable rules, the Opposition leader in the state assembly is to also automatically head the state’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

‎”If they (BN) do not comply with the rules put in place, then they are disrespectful ‎of the democratic process observed in this (Selangor) state and the country in general.

“There needs to be an Opposition leader in a Parliament or a state assembly to ensure check and balance...its part of democracy..they (BN) must act fast,” Azmin who is also Bukit Antarabangsa state assemblyman told reporters.

Shamsudin stepped down from his post as state opposition leader after refusing an offer to take up the chairman role in the PAC.

He told Malay Mail Online that he would have limited authority as PAC chief due to the lack of BN representation, adding that his resignation was a “matter of honour”.

However the state assembly speaker Hannah Yeoh said it “did not make sense” for the Sungai Burong assemblyman to resign just because he felt BN had insufficient quorum in the state-level select committee.

“We have 10 select committees in the state assembly and each committee has seven elected representatives.

“There are 12 BN assemblymen. Therefore, if BN wants the majority, four out of 12 will have to sit in every select committee and the dewan committees are very active... they have meetings every other week,” Yeoh told a hastily organised media conference shortly after Shamsudin’s resignation.