THE second day of the State Legislative Assembly sitting yesterday saw Forests Bill 2015 passed after lengthy debate by 20 elected representatives from Barisan Nasional and opposition.
The Bill to replace the Forest Ordinance, tabled by Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, was to enhance forest conservation effort in the state by empowering forest officers and increasing penalty for forest offences.
During the one-hour question-and-answer session, eleven oral questions were address by the ministers and assistant ministers in charge of their respective portfolios.
Among the questions addressed yesterday was the response of local Sarawak companies and entrepreneurs since the opening of Petronas licensing office in Kuching, Bintulu and Miri.
Apart from that, the question on doctor-patient ratio in Sarawak and the challenges the Health Ministry faces in delivery healthcare services was also addressed.
The afternoon session of the DUN sitting yesterday saw the passing of one Bill and rejection of four private member motions.For the motions, all from the opposition, the first was tabled by See Chee How (PKR-Batu Lintang), two by Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Kota Sentosa) and the last private member motion by Baru Bian (PKR-Ba’Kelalan).
The motions were dismissed because according to Speaker Datuk Amar Mohammad Asfia Awang Nassar, they were not meeting the standing order requirements and procedures.
The subject matter brought up by See was on the proposal by Cahaya Mata Sarawak (CMS) to acquire a major stake in the state government owned Sacofa for which the Speaker asked See to bring up the matter in his debate on the Head of State address and his questions would be answered by Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
Chong’s motions which were both rejected were on the Sarawak Interpretation Ordinance with regards to the proposed usage of the word Dayaks when referring to all natives of Sarawak and the other seeking the state government to give recognition to United Examination Certificates (UEC) when applying for posts in state civil service.
Asfia again ruled that both motions were dismissed as the subjects were under the purview of the federal government.
The fourth motion from Baru was to seek the House to move that all 31 Sarawak MPs should oppose the Hudud law when tabled by PAS in next parliament sitting.
In making his ruling Asfia said on this matter the chief minister of Sarawak had repeatedly stated that there was no way Hudud can be implemented in the state.
In his lengthy explanation on why the motion was rejected Asfia made numerous quotes, quoting verses in the Quran, Bible articles in magazines and also reports in The Borneo Post.