JOHOR BARU: State assembly Speaker Suhaizan Kayat has reminded all 56 assemblymen that the coming meeting will be more important than the Melaka polls as the Johor Budget 2022 will be tabled.

       The meeting for the state assembly will start next Thursday and run until Nov 25.

       “We have issued a notice on Oct 27 informing all assemblymen that the state assembly meeting will convene on Nov 18 until 25 to allow Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad to table the budget for next year.

       “The state assembly meeting is way more important than campaigning in the Melaka state elections,” he said.

       Suhaizan, who is also Parti Amanah Negara organising secretary, reminded Johor assemblymen to follow health guidelines and protocols when campaigning in Melaka.

       “We will still continue with the standard operating procedure that was put in place during the last state assembly meeting, including having all assemblymen, department heads and media members undergo daily Covid-19 tests before entering the assembly house,” he said, urging the representatives to attend the meeting as the budget needed to be passed.

       During the last state assembly meeting on Aug 22, four assemblymen were barred from entering due to Covid-19 health concerns.

       Asked if former Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian, who suffered a stroke last month, could make it to the meeting, Suhaizan said his office had yet to receive a letter from the Kempas assemblyman on the matter.

       On Tuesday, Johor Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia information chief Mohd Solihan Badri said that Osman was in stable condition but had yet to make a full recovery from the stroke.

       Osman, 70, suffered a stroke at his home in Johor Baru on Oct 13.