Asfia speaking to reporters after chairing the pre-DUN meeting on Sunday. – Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: There will be no debate on the Supplementary Supply Bills that will be tabled during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting tomorrow in line with its Standing Order and the State Constitution, said DUN Speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar.
Citing Article 33(4) of the constitution and Standing Order 68(1), Asfia said a bill can be tabled for additional funding from the Consolidated Fund and can be decided without amendment or debate.
“The motion on the second reading of the Bill shall be decided without amendment or debate,” he told a press conference after chairing the pre-DUN meeting here today.
Asfia was referring to the two bills which are expected to be tabled in the DUN Sitting tomorrow (May 11) which are the Supplementary Supply (2020) Bill, 2020, and Supplementary Supply Bill (2019) Bill, 2020 to seek for additional funding.
The Supplementary Supply (2019) Bill, 2020 is to seek for an additional fund of RM299,171,014 for further expenditure for the year 2019, while the Supplementary Supply (2020) Bill, 2020 is to seek for an additional RM382,320,763 for further expenditure of this year.
They will be tabled by the Finance Minister.
After the Bills have been tabled, they will be put to vote by the members of the august House, Asfia said.
The one-day DUN sitting tomorrow is expected to start at 9am, and there will be no opening address by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
As the sitting will only be for a day, Asfia said there will be no question and answer sessions in the Chambers.
He said there will be no Motion of Adjournment by the Assistant Minister, but the Speaker will just conclude the sitting ‘sine die’.
He also revealed that as of yesterday (May 9), there were seven annual reports and financial statements, and eight command papers submitted to the DUN secretary.
Meanwhile, Asfia explained that the DUN sitting, even though only a day, must convene on May 11 because according to Article 21(3) and Article 21(4), the DUN would be advertently or inadvertently dissolved if the lapse from the last sitting is more than six months.
After dissolution the State Election will follow within 60 days.
He said according to Article 21(10 of the State Constitution, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri may from time to time summon the DUN, and shall not allow six months to elapse between the last sitting in one session and the date appointed for its first sitting in the next session.
Asfia also pointed out that the DUN sitting via video conferencing does not arise, because according to Standing Order 1(1), on the first day on the DUN sitting after the state election or prorogation, members having assembled at the time and place duly appointed and having seated in accordance with Standing order 2.
In the event of an unfinished business during the one-day DUN, Asfia said the DUN sitting can convene again at any time thereafter without waiting for another six months.