Chong moves to withdraw Dr Ting’s bankruptcy allegations

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Chong (seated centre) at the press conference Monday. Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING: Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Kota Sentosa) called on Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh to withdraw his allegation of bankruptcy against former Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon.

At the same he also demanded an apology from Wong for having misled the august House by equating insolvency to bankruptcy in his ministerial motion made on Friday.

“My motion is regarding privilege and contempt of the House,” said Chong in a press conference on Monday morning at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting.

“It is elementary legal knowledge that insolvency is not bankrupt. Dr Ting was never made a bankrupt in Australia and that the search referred to in the (ministerial) motion also did not state that he was or is a bankrupt.”

Chong stressed that such wrong assertion was a baseless slander on Dr Ting.

“It is also a show of ignorance and inadequate knowledge of elementary law on the part of the Minister for Finance II.”

Chong attempted to move a motion under Standing Order 23(2)(p) in the august House, seeking to withdraw the bankrupt allegation against Dr Ting.

However, State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar ruled to stand down the motion given that “government business takes precedence”.

“I stand down. I will hear your motion at 5:30pm,” announced Asfia, after Chong began to read out the first paragraph of his motion: “In the motion moved by the Honorable Minister for Finance II against the member for Pujut Dr Ting…”

After Asfia made his ruling, Chong was left with no choice but to hold his motion.

Chong then called for the press conference in the DUN media centre to read out his eight-paragraph motion.

On Asfia’s ruling, Chong said when Chiew Chin Sing (DAP-Tanjong Batu) requested on Friday for half an hour from the Speaker for Dr Ting to prepare his debate, the appeal was rejected.

He alleged that Asfia was buying time for the ruling bench to reply his motion.

“For this motion, he said he would deal with at 5:30pm. In this House, he is the law. We will see what happened at 5:30pm,” he added.