Johor assembly now refers opposition members as balancers

ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 20 (Bernama) -- The Johor state legislative assembly (DUN) now uses the term balancer to refer to state opposition members, in upholding the order from Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar last Thursday.

The matter was informed by Johor speaker Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi before the question and answer session at the state assembly sitting at Bangunan Sultan Ismail, Kota Iskandar, here today.

"As how it was initiated by Machap assemblyman (Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi) yesterday, we will use the term balancer which is more noble, more accurate, more comprehensive and futuristic to create a more authoritative state legislative assembly .

"Thank you, Tuanku," he said at the First Meeting of the Second Session of the 15th Johor state assembly here.

At the opening ceremony, Sultan Ibrahim brought up that the opposition representatives in Johor should be called pihak pengimbang instead of pihak pembangkang as they play the role of check and balance to ensure the government is on the right track.

According to the Ruler, the term ‘Opposition’ in referring to assemblymen who are not members of the ruling party is inappropriate because their role is not just to oppose all government’s proposals.

Sultan Ibrahim said they need to do checks and balances which is necessary to ensure that the government does not act as it pleases.

-- BERNAMA