By Marlynda Meraw
KUCHING, May 28: The Speaker of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS), Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, has dismissed a motion submitted by Padungan assemblyman, Chong Chieng Jen, citing multiple procedural and substantive breaches under the Standing Orders of the Dewan.
The motion, brought under Standing Order 86, was deemed “flawed” by the Speaker, who invoked his constitutional authority to interpret the rules of the august House.
Quoting directly from the Standing Order 86(1), Asfia affirmed, “The decision of the Speaker upon any point of interpretation of any of these Standing Orders, or upon any matter of practice, shall, subject to a substantive motion for that purpose, be final.”
He ruled that Chong’s motion lacked legal standing and procedural compliance, noting that its content pertained to a matter raised by Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong.
“It is for the member of Pending to seek a review of the ruling made by the Chair, not for the member of Padungan,” Asfia said, adding that the Padungan member, Chong, was not “privy to question” the matter.
Beyond the issue of standing, Asfia highlighted further procedural failings. The motion, he said, had exceeded the permissible word limit as set out in parliamentary practice.
“Any motion must not exceed 250 words. This motion contains 411 words and therefore, should be rejected,” he said, referencing the 24th Edition of Erskine May, page 398.
In addition, Asfia also ruled that the motion failed to comply with the notice period stipulated under Standing Order 23(1).
The motion, dated and received May 27, 2025, was submitted just one day before the sitting, falling well short of the ten-day minimum requirement.
“This is not exactly 10 days to comply with Standing Order 23(1) by any stretch of the imagination,” he said during the eighth day of the DUS sitting today.
Earlier, Chong had presented his motion under Standing Order 86, seeking the House’s consideration, review, and overturn of the Speaker’s decision to disallow a question submitted by Yong regarding the detailed expenses of Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Cabinet ministers for official overseas trips.
Chong cited discrepancies in the Speaker’s responses, pointing out that on May 21, 2025, the question was rejected on the grounds that it contravened public policy.
On May 26, 2025, the question was disallowed for the second time based on the Machiavellian doctrine that the end justifies the means, and that, given the scale of foreign investments, the question was disallowed and leave was given for the minister’s refusal to answer.
Chong added that the Speaker’s rejection showed a lack of appreciation for the extent of expenditure involved in the official overseas trips, especially when the House was asked to approve the Supplementary Supply (2025) Bill for an additional RM100 million under the Premier’s Department for air-chartered services.
In response to Chong’s motion, Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap stated that the assertion was “misplaced” and “misleading” in suggesting that the Speaker’s decision “interferes” with the duties of assembly members.
Yap concluded that the Speaker’s decision to disallow the question regarding overseas expenditure is procedurally sound, justified by concerns of public policy and confidentiality, and reflective of responsible legislative leadership.
“The motion under Standing Order 86 brought forth by YB Chong is legally weak, procedurally unsound, and politically charged and was correctly rejected in full,” he said. –DayakDaily
