KUCHING: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) welcomed yesterday’s decision by the Federal Court, which nullified Dr Ting Tiong Choon’s election as Pujut assemblyman – calling it a win for the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN).
“It affirms the power and authority of the DUN to decide on the disqualification of its members and correctly puts to rest the artificial distinction between pre- and post-election disqualification to fetter the power of the DUN,” the party said in a statement.
The Federal Court, in a 7-2 majority decision, had set aside the Court of Appeal’s and Kuching High Court’s decision to reinstate Dr Ting as Pujut assemblyman after he was disqualified by the DUN for having a dual citizenship, despite him renouncing it before contesting in the last state election.
“Dr Ting Tiong Choon was clearly a disqualified person under the Sarawak Constitution before and after the election,” the statement added.
PSB pointed out that to allow a clearly disqualified person to sit in the august House to deliberate and
vote upon the passage of legislation, would be ‘a travesty of justice’.