Irene Chang
SIBU (Aug 2): The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government has been asked to call for a State Legislative Assembly sitting for the purpose of tabling Budget 2022 and allowing debates on the Covid-19 situation in the state.
In making the suggestion, Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang said the debates should include all related issues on the Covid-19 vaccination programme, food aid, and measures taken to help Sarawakians during this difficult time.
“There are many things which need to be brought to the legislators for them to either endorse or improve the actions of the executive in their political duties on the ground,” she said in a media statement.
Chang opined that what transpired in Parliament last week was another shameful episode in Malaysian history.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had on Thursday issued a statement saying he was “deeply saddened” by de facto law minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan’s assertion in Parliament that the Emergency Ordinances had been revoked.
The Agong also said the minister’s remarks have confused Parliament, and that the announcement was “not accurate”.
Yesterday, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government postponed the special parliamentary sitting and the Dewan Rakyat for the next two weeks based on the Ministry of Health’s recommendation following the detection of Covid-19 cases.
Chang urged the state government to stand apart in its actions and not to emulate what is not healthy for the political, social, and economic welfare of the state.
In the midst of political uncertainty in Peninsular Malaysia, she claimed what Sarawakians need most now from the state government is a stance unlike its PN coalition partners in Peninsular Malaysia.
She said legislators are the voice of the people and the sittings are where the government of the day needs to listen to the issues brought to the legislative house through the respective elected representatives.
“There is never a time in the recent history of Sarawak when the people’s voice needs to be most heard by the government. And the proper platform for this is the State Legislative Assembly sittings,” she said.
Chang said there should not be any issue in convening the sittings with strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place.
She called on the state government to seek the assent of the Agong and governor Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and give the highest priority to convene the DUN sitting.
“In fact, it is largely a matter of political will of how much importance our state government places on the need to hear these voices and to allow themselves to be updated to meet the needs and expectations of the people through these sittings,” she added.