By Nur Ashikin Louis and Karen Bong
KUCHING, Feb 14: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today led elected representatives in taking their oaths before Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar on the first day of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting.
Of the 82 elected representatives in total, three were absent namely Datu Len Talif Salleh (Kuala Rajang), Datuk Sebastian Ting (Piasau) and Dato Sri Huang Tiong Sii (Repok) as they are still under quarantine orders.
The First Session of the First Term of the 19th Sarawak DUN sitting will convene for three days from today until Wednesday (Feb 16).
There was no opening ceremony for the conference by His Excellency Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud today with the House sitting directly beginning with a prayer recital at 9.17am.
However, the inauguration ceremony by Yang Di-Pertua Negeri will be held at a later date to be determined by the State government.
The first day also saw no tabling of Government Bills or debate by the Honorable Members.
The tabling and reading of Bills will only take place on the second and third day and will see five Bills being tabled: Supplementary Supply (2021) Bill, 2022; Constitution of the State of Sarawak (Amendment) Bill, 2022; Interpretation (Amendment) Bill, 2022; Sago and Nipah Development Board Bill, 2022; and Sarawak Rubber Industry Board Bill, 2022.
The three-day DUN sitting will not have question-and-answer sessions in the House and no winding-up sessions by the ministers.
The sitting this time also saw 18 elected representatives making their maiden appearance in DUN after winning their respective seats in the recently concluded 12th Sarawak Election.
Additionally, the opposition bloc was only represented by six elected representatives led by Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh. — DayakDaily
