ISKANDAR PUTERI: 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 speaker Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi before the question and answer session during 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 (Mar 19), 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 during the First Meeting of the Second Session of the 15th Johor state assembly here.
During 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 that the state 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 the state government's proposals.
Sultan Ibrahim said they need to carry out checks and balances which is necessary to ensure that the state government does not act as it pleases. – Bernama