By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Oct 21: The allegation by the Padungan representative against the Sarawak Government regarding the professionalism of the Hansard process and preparation is simply unfounded.
Second Minister for Finance and New Economy Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the allegation strikes at the integrity of the Budget Papers, the credibility of the government, and the professionalism of the officers who prepared them.
“This is unwarranted,” said Uggah who is also Deputy Minister and held that the facts are unequivocal.
He said the Command Papers were prepared, printed and distributed under strict quality assurance procedures. One hundred copies were printed and circulated.
Verification confirmed that all copies were properly assembled, correctly paginated, and contained identical establishment data throughout.
“Only one copy was alleged to contain an irregularity, the copy held by the Honourable Member for Padungan.
‘Examination further established that the document had been altered and tampered with after it had left Government custody. Nonetheless, the establishment figures remained intact, the data remained unchanged, and the Budget information remained accurate. The irregularity was only the pagination.
“The conclusion is therefore clear cut: the irregularity did not originate from the Government. It did not arise from the preparation, printing or distribution of the Budget Papers. The allegation against the Government’s processes is simply unfounded,” said Uggah who is Bukit Saban assemblyman (GPS-PBB).
He held that the Sarawak Government stands firmly behind the integrity of the Budget Papers, the robustness of its procedures and the professionalism of the officers who prepared them.
On Oct 13, Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen (PKR-DAP) raised a pagination error in a copy of the 2027 Sarawak State Budget document (“List of Establishment Posts”) and questioned the professionalism of the State Financial Secretary and Speakers’ Office in preparing the documents. –DayakDaily
