By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, May 10: The four elected representatives of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) will be seated on the opposition bench during the one-day Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting.
This following the resignation of its president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh as Second Finance Minister in August 2019, said DUN Speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar.
PSB, formerly known as United People’s Party or UPP, were friendly to the then Sarawak ruling Barisan Nasional government. The collaboration continues after the state Barisan members left the coalition to form Gabungan Parti Sarawak.
However, PSB did not join the new government coalition and remained a “friendly” party.
Mohd Asfia added that PSB is no longer with the government following Soon Koh’s resignation from the state cabinet.
PSB will be joined by veteran oppositions, Democratic Action Party (DAP), which have seen its numbers reduced to six following the disqualification of Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon as a DUN member.
“PSB shifts from the ‘no man’s land’ of being neither with GPS nor with DAP is juxtaposed with the opposition. Its president is no longer a state cabinet minister,” Mohd Asfia told a press conference here today.
On Dr Ting’s position, he said that following the disqualification of the former member of Pujut by the DUN in a vote of 70 to 10 on May 12, 2017, and that decision is upheld by the Federal Court in a vote of seven to two in favour of the disqualification on February 11, the seat for Pujut stands vacant.
“The DAP is reduced to six seats in the DUN,” he continued.
The six lawmakers from DAP are Chong Chieng Jen (Kota Sentosa), Wong King Wei (Padungan), Violet Yong (Pending), Irene Chang (Bukit Assek), David Wong (Pelawan) and Chiew Ching Sing (Kidurong).
Mohd Asfia explained that the one-day DUN sitting tomorrow is for the tabling of the supplementary budget by the state government.
There will be a debate session for the supplementary budget as it is not required under the Standing Order of the DUN.
He added that there will not be any question and answer session as the DUN sitting is held within the conditional movement control order (CMCO) and the sitting was to comply with the rules of the august house. — DayakDaily
