PKR supports High Court ruling to reinstate Pujut rep – Baru Bian

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Baru Bian

KUCHING: PKR welcomes the ruling by the Kuching High Court to reinstate Dr Ting Tiong Choon as Pujut assemblyman, said its state chairman Baru Bian.

Baru said it was “comforting for all who value democracy and justice” that the judge, Datuk Douglas Christo Primus Sikayun, made a clear and strong ruling on the law that the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) had no express powers to deal with an election result.

“Obviously, if the dismissal had been allowed to remain, in the Malaysian context, an assemblyman or a parliamentarian in the minority would have no chance of seeing justice served in such a politically motivated scenario.

“Members of the ruling BN had taken on the role of prosecutor and judge, without any intention of allowing the accused sufficient opportunity to defend himself. The judge commented rightly that the rule of natural justice had not been complied with and adhered to,” he said.

Baru said this ruling was a timely reminder to the BN-led government of the doctrine of the separation of powers of the three organs of government.

In this case, he said the speaker had taken on judicial powers to which he had no right, as pointed out by the judge.

“Recalling that the chain of events emanated from a ministerial motion by (Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri) Wong Soon Koh and not a private member’s motion, this points to the Sarawak government as the initiator of the motion for the dismissal of Dr Ting.

“The three organs of government owe a duty to the people they serve to behave with integrity and fairness. The parties involved should take this as a lesson learnt,” he added.