This Content Is Only For Subscribers
By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Aug 15 :In the ongoing trial between Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian and Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen, Nangka assemblyman Annuar Rapa’ee continued his testimony in court today.
During the cross-examination, counsel for the defendant, Michael Kong questioned Annuar about various details and documents related to the allocation of food assistance funds for constituencies, particularly those held by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) assemblymen.
The questioning focused on letters and correspondence related to the allocation process.
Kong referred the witness to the letter by the Ministry of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development dated March 31, 2020. The cross-examination aimed to establish the intentions, changes, and mechanisms related to the distribution of food aid funds. Various questions were raised regarding the wording of these letters and whether they indicated revocation, cancellation, or changes in decisions.
During the cross-examination, Annuar stressed that the RM200,000 per DUN constituency food assistance fund allocation meant for Kawasan DUN Bukit Assek, Dudong, Bawang Assan and Pelawan was never channeled to the Service Centre of DUN Nangka, which is his service centre.
He said, based the letter by the ministry dated March 31, 2020, though the letter said that the ministry had at that material time requested that the RM200,000 per DUN constituency food assistance fund allocation meant for DUN Bukit Assek, Dudong, Bawang Assan and Pelawan to be channeled through DUN Nangka service centre, it never happened.
He said there was no difference between GPS and non-GPS ADUNs in so far as their involvement and mechanism of the distribution, everyone can be involved in the distribution because it was done by the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC).
There was a discussion about whether earlier decisions were revoked or changed by subsequent letters. The cross-examination aimed to clarify the sequence of decisions and the understanding of various terms and phrases used in the correspondence.
Kong also questioned Annuar about the interpretation of the term “mengurus” that appeared in the letter by the ministry on March 31, 2020, which led to a disagreement between the witness and the lawyer about whether it meant that the respective ADUN service center had the authority to manage or administer the purchase of food items.
Annuar does not agree that the word “mengurus” means that the Pusat Khidmat of the respective State assemblyman has the authority to manage or administer the purchase of food items.
Kong continued focusing on specific sentences, paragraphs and headings within the documents, trying to establish the authority of the ADUN service centres, the allocation of funds for different constituencies and the role of GPS and non-GPS State assemblymen in the distribution of food aid.
High Court Judge Datuk Haji Alwi Abdul Hamid set the trial to continue tomorrow and also Sept 13 and 14.
Counsel Shankar Ram, along with Russell Lim and Yu Ying Ying, represented the plaintiff, while Chong Siew Chiang, Michael Kong, and Brenda Chong represented the defendant. — DayakDaily
