By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, May 7: The First Meeting of the Third Term of the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting commenced today with only three members on the Opposition bench, making it the second lowest number ever recorded in the history of Sarawak.
They were Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen, Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong Wui Wui from Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, who is an independent.
On the other hand, the ruling bench has 79 members from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition which comprises Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
The huge presence of the ruling elected representatives had led to some its members spilling over to the opposite bench.
This came after three former Opposition assemblymen from the dissolved Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) namely Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh (Bawang Assan), Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa (Engkelili) and Baru Bian (Ba’Kelalan) joined PDP, further weakening the already feeble Opposition.
As the leader of the Opposition, Chong sat to the left of DUS speaker Tan Sri Mohd Asfia Awang Hassar, directly opposite GPS chairman, who is also Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.
On Chong’s left was Yong, followed by See. Next to See was Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang and other GPS elected representatives. — DayakDaily
Editor’s note: Corrected an earlier version of this article which mistakenly stated the current number of opposition elected representations was the lowest in Sarawak’s history.
