File photo for illustration purposes
KUCHING: The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) cannot postpone its one-day sitting on May 11 any further although it is still within the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, said its Deputy Speaker Dato Gerawat Gala.
He told The Borneo Post today that delaying the sitting would go against the State Constitution, adding that allowing members of the august House to meet via video-conferencing was also out of the question.
“There is no question about DUN not sitting within the period stipulated by the Constitution otherwise the legality and constitutionality of the DUN proceedings may be questioned,” he said.
Gerawat said the State Constitution required the DUN to sit within six months of its last sitting, which was in November last year.
“The (next) DUN meeting cannot be postponed to a date later than six months from the date of its last sitting,” he emphasised.
He said the Sabah DUN, for instance, had its sitting within the MCO period last week but complied with MCO requirements last week.
The sitting was initially scheduled to be held on April 14 for one-day and it was deferred three times before it was eventually fixed for May 11.
Its postponement was due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18 to stop the spread of Covid-19. It has now entered its fourth phase, which is expected to end on May 12.
On whether video conferencing could be used for the sitting, Gerawat said: “Video conferencing did not exist and was not anticipated and provided for by the Constitution and Standing Orders.”
He stressed that they must comply with the State Constitution and the DUN Standing Orders.
He said preparations have been made by the DUN Speaker’s office to ensure all MCO requirements are observed during the sitting.
Gerawat also said he disagreed with claims that not much will be achieved with a one-day sitting of DUN because the assembly would deliberate on essential government business.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the coming sitting was not just held to comply with the State Constitution, but also because several laws will be passed on May 11.
“A one-day sitting is still a sitting and I am very sure a number of Bills will be passed that day. So to the question of what can be achieved with a one day-sitting, we just wait and see. I believe much can be achieved,” he said.
DAP’s Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong insisted that DUN held its sitting via video conferencing because many people including YBs fear the risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus.
“As for me, preferably our Sarawak DUN should hold the DUN sitting through video conferencing given this critical moment due to Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, pursuant to the MCO, any meeting or gathering of more than 50 people is disallowed,” she said.
“I believe many of the YBs and civil servants feel worried about attending the DUN Sitting on May 11 even though it is one-day sitting.”
“It would look weird if all (82 members of the August House) attending the meeting are wearing PPE (personal protective equipment),” said Yong.
“If video conferencing is allowed more than one day, the sitting should be held as there are many issues concerning the people and economic (status) of the state that need to be addressed immediately,” she said.
Yong also said that not much can be achieved in one day.
“One day sitting is definitely not enough.”