Four govt bills to be tabled at coming DUN sitting

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Asfia fields question during the press conference.

KUCHING: Four government bills will be tabled at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting from Nov 8 to 17.

Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar said the bills are Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) Bill 2017, and  Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC) Bill 2017.

He said the former would be tabled by Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh while the latter by Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin.

For the SMA Bill, Asfia said the first, second and third readings would be held on Nov 8. For the SRDC Bill, the first reading would be on Nov 8 while the second and third readings would be held on Nov 9.

“Four government bills will be tabled during the sitting to be held on Nov 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17,” he told reporters after Barisan Nasional (BN) pre-council meeting at PBB headquarters here yesterday.

The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister and state BN chairman Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Asfia said two other government bills are the Supply 2018 Bill 2017, which is a budget speech by the chief minister and the Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda) Amendment Bill 2017, to be tabled by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

Asfia said the first and second reading of the Supply Bill would be on Nov 8, and third reading on Nov 17.

He said the presentation of budget will begin after the first reading of all the Bills.

As for the Recoda Amendment Bill, he said the first reading would be held on Nov 8 while second and third reading would be on Nov 9.

Asfia said a total of 326 questions for oral replies and 77 questions for written replies had been submitted by the assemblypersons from both political divides for this sitting.

He also said there would be an election of senator on Nov 9.

“We have informed the government and the opposition that there will be an election of senator to replace Datuk Lihan Jok,” he said

Asfia said after the budget speech at 12.30pm, chief minister would launch a new stamp of DUN Sarawak in conjunction with its 150th anniversary celebration.