Wan Junaidi inspects the guard of honour. – Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (May 6): Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar officially opened the first meeting of the third term of the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly today.
This was the first time the governor officiated at the assembly after succeeding the late Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
Five Bills will be tabled and debated during the proceedings, which will run until May 15.
Prior to opening the session, Wan Junaidi was welcomed by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar upon his arrival at the parade ground of the assembly complex to inspect the guard of honour.
The guard of honour comprised 105 personnel, including three officers, from the General Operations Force and the Royal Malaysia Police.
Mohamad Asfia had said the tabling of the Sarawak Ports Authority Bill 2024, Protection of Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2024, and Sarawak Forestry Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2024 will be the highlights of this meeting.
The other Bills to be tabled are the Supplementary Supply (2024) Bill 2024 and Supplementary Supply (2023) Bill 2024, while 375 questions have been submitted for answers.
The Public Health, Housing and Local Government Ministry received the most questions at 49.
For this session, three assemblymen, who were formerly Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) members, have had their seats shifted from the Opposition bench to the left side of the Speaker in the Sarawak government bloc.
Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian, and Engkilili assemblyman Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa are now Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) members.
This follows the dissolution of PSB and former party members being absorbed into PDP after they voiced their support for the Sarawak government led by Abang Johari.