THE morning session of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) proceedings yesterday saw 14 questions with 21 supplementary questions posed to various ministries given oral answers.
Except for the question submitted by Ali Biju (PKR-Krian) which was answered by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, the rest were all replied by assistant ministers of the ministries.
Most of the replies were short and brief except for Assistant Housing Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who provided lengthy and detailed answers.
Assistant Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman teased Abdul Karim by describing the latter’s replies as a “winding-up speech”.
Of the original questions given oral answers during the morning session, only one was from the opposition – by Wong Kee Woan (DAP-Pelawan).
He was fortunate to have his question answered by Abdul Karim together with questions asked by Ripin Lamat (BN-Lambir).
The morning session also witnessed five BN representatives and an opposition representative participating in the debate on the Supply (2015) Bill, 2014.
They were Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali (BN-Semariang), Ting Tze Fui (DAP-Meradong), Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi (BN-Pantai Damai), Yussibnosh Balo (BN-Balingian), Simoi Peri (BN-Lingga) and Murni Suhaili (BN-Daro).
Deputy speaker Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn who presided over the debate session gave each of them 20 minutes to deliver their speeches. The morning proceedings adjourned around 1pm for lunch break and sitting resumed at 2pm.
In the afternoon, nine members of the august house delivered their respective debates on the 2015 State Budget.
They were Abu Seman Jahwie (BN-Jemoreng), Dennis Ngau (BN-Telang Usan), Christina Chiew Wan See (DAP-Batu Kawah), George Lagong (Independent-Pelagus), Alexander Vincent (BN-Ngemah), Yap Hoi Liong (DAP-Dudong), Wong King Wei (DAP-Padungan), Mohd Razi Sitam (BN-Saribas) and See Chee How (PKR-Batu Lintang).
Chiew’s speech was the only one that got interjected by another member of the house.
She was interrupted by Assistant Housing Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah when talking about Rumah Mesra Rakyat at Sungai Midin.
When contacted after the proceeding yesterday, Abdul Karim said Chiew was probably not listening when the Housing Ministry explained the issue in the last DUN sitting.
He said: “What I clarified in DUN earlier on was that YB Christina has brought up this issue of Rumah Mesra at Sungai Midin which I said had been clarified and answered by our Housing Minister last DUN sitting.”
“The minister then had informed that the project would definitely take off and presently is just waiting for the land dump on site to subside. The area is low lying, on peat and needs filling.
“YB Chrsitina must be running out of issues that she had to bring up the matter again or maybe she has forgotten that the minister has already answered her,” he quipped.