By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Oct 20: Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong was ordered out of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting this morning after challenging the Speaker’s ruling to expunge the words “political coward” from the Hansard following a complaint by Senadin assemblyman and Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin.
The incident unfolded at the start of the sitting when Lee raised a matter of privilege under Standing Order 23(2)(p), alleging that Yong had directed offensive and insulting words at him during yesterday’s proceedings and refused to withdraw them.
“The remark was repeated several times and recorded in the unedited Hansard at pages 61 to 63,” he told the august House.
Citing Standing Order 32(4), which states that it is out of order to use offensive and insulting language about members of the Dewan, Lee submitted that the remark constituted a personal insult and contravened the House’s rules.
He asked Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar to rule that the words were unparliamentary and order them expunged from the Hansard.
In response, Asfia ruled that the words used were “unparliamentary, insulting and humiliating”, adding that he had asked Yong to withdraw the remark but she had refused.
He subsequently ordered the words to be expunged from the Hansard.
Yong then attempted to clarify her position, but Asfia maintained that he had witnessed the exchange in the Dewan the previous day.
As Yong continued speaking without her microphone switched on, the Speaker ordered her to leave the chamber, describing her conduct as “biadap”, or ill-mannered.
“Keluar, you are insulting the room,” he said.
Speaking to reporters later, Yong expressed disappointment while alleging that the government of the day is trying to sanitise the conduct of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly.
She also criticised the Speaker for making the ruling without first allowing her to explain her position.
Yong said she had wanted to draw the Speaker’s attention to Standing Order 32(3), which states that it is out of order to attempt to reconsider a specific question on which the Dewan has reached a conclusion during the current session, except through a substantive motion for rescission.
She argued that the issue had already been decided through a vote and should not have been raised again.
She also cited Standing Order 42(1), which states that no member may speak on a question after it has been fully put from the chair.
“These are the two Standing Orders I wanted to tell the Speaker, but my mic was not on. He couldn’t take the hit and worried I will continue my attack,” she said.
She described the incident as a reflection of what she called the suppression of opposition voices by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government.
“I think it’s very sad. We have no democracy in the Dewan anymore. You can see how the GPS try to use their might to oppress and suppress the opposition, and they do not have the stomach to take the dissenting voice,” she said.
Yong also disputed the decision to expunge the remark from the Hansard, arguing that the official record should accurately reflect what transpired during proceedings.
“The Hansard is supposed to record the actual incidents, happenings, whatever the members have spoken in the Dewan. Whatever things happen in the Dewan, it should be recorded verbatim. If ‘political coward’ is mentioned, let it be there, not expunge or remove,” she said.
She stressed that the Hansard belonged to the Sarawak Legislative Assembly and the people of Sarawak, rather than the Speaker or the GPS government. — DayakDaily
