Marching orders for Chong

2

SUSPENDED: Chong (third left) accompanied by other DAP representatives after leaving the gallery following his suspension yesterday.

Speaker suspends state’s DAP chief for likening Housing Minister to Umno MP

KUCHING: The State Legislative Assembly (DUN) yesterday suspended Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Kota Sentosa) indefinitely for uttering ‘objectionable’ words against Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg during last Friday’s proceedings.

Chong in his speech last Friday had likened Abg Johari to Umno member of parliament, a remark which he deemed offensive.

The minister demanded that Chong withdraw his remark during yesterday’s sitting but the Kota Sentosa assemblyman said he would only withdraw that statement if the state assembly agreed to pass a resolution to say that Umno was not wanted in the state and it should not be allowed to set any branch in Sarawak.

At this juncture, Speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar interjected to tell Chong that the withdrawal should be unconditional and the issue was whether the opposition leader was prepared to retract his statement or not.

Chong said if that was the case then he would stand by his words since as far as he was concerned he could not see why Umno’s name was objectionable and offensive in the DUN.

“It is not wrong for me to say that Abang Johari resembles an Umno MP, and that Sarawakians feared that he would one day bring Umno to the state,” he said.

Following Chong’s refusal to retract the remark despite pressure from the BN bench, the Speaker advised Abang Johari to move a motion so that action can be taken against the member for Kota Sentosa under Section 40 (3) (c) of the DUN Standing Order.

In responding to the Kota Sentosa assemblyman’s stance, Special Functions Tan Sri Adenan Satem stood up to move the motion which was seconded by Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.

Asfia asked Adenan how long he wanted Chong to be suspended but the latter replied that it was up to the Speaker himself to make the decision on the suspension period.

The Speaker then ruled that Chong be suspended effective yesterday until he deemed it fit to lift the suspension.

All the DAP elected representatives then left the gallery and escorted Chong down to the DUN lobby where he held a media conference.

After sending Chong off, the other members returned to the gallery to attend the winding up speeches by Minister of Social Development Tan Sri William Mawan and Wong in his capacity as Second Finance Minister and Minister of Local Government and Community Development.