By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, June 21: Asajaya assemblyman Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah opined that Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) president Lina Soo is just trying to gain political mileage by proposing for a final Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting to convene before the state of Emergency is lifted.
He believed that Soo is just ‘playing to the gallery’ to show that she is a responsible citizen and wants to ensure the legislature is doing something.
“I opine that in view of the likelihood our DUN will automatically dissolve on August 1…just let it dissolve and we let the rakyat determine who will be the State government after the election.
“Just be patient and don’t get over excited. The sitting can always be held after we have known who has the majority to form the government,” he said in a statement today.
Abdul Karim, who is also Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, was responding to Soo’s recent proposal for a DUN meeting to be held before the 12th Sarawak Election (PRN12).
Abdul Karim, a lawyer by profession, said he is unsure whether Sarawak DUN sitting can be called now as legally the existing tenure ended on June 6 and was extended due to the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021.
He explained that there are many preparations to call for a DUN sitting including providing notices to lawmakers and the process has to be guided by law and takes time.
“To call for a DUN sitting, the DUN Office will be guided by the DUN Standing Order, which among others, requires for a Statutory Notice to be given to all Assembly members and this Notice normally is given 28 days before the intended date of sitting.
“Time definitely is not on our side to call for the sitting. Apart from the Notice, many other preparations like questions from members… will normally be forwarded to the respective Ministries for answers…this will also take time.
“Lina will not know this because she has never been a representative before and will not understand how the system works,” said Abdul Karim.
Meanwhile, Soo in a statement yesterday, called for Sarawak DUN to convene as soon as possible.
She believed that there was no reason to delay the DUN sitting as all assemblymen and assemblywomen had completed their vaccinations.
She opined that Sarawak DUN should reconvene as soon as possible to conform with all the constitutional requirements and all outstanding issues and debates in DUN prior to the forthcoming Sarawak election.
She opined that it is ‘a tactical delay’ for DUN to sit only after the Emergency is lifted, adding that such a move is a denial of the democratic process against the wishes of the people and a mockery of the intentions of the Palace to bring certainty and stability to the nation. — DayakDaily
