KUCHING, Feb 14 — Sarawak’s elected representatives, who were given the mandate in the Dec 18 polls last year, were sworn in during a ceremony held at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex in Petra Jaya here today.
They were called to the centre of the DUN Chamber floor one after another to take their oath and sign the letter of undertaking before the DUN Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is Gedong assemblyman took the lead in taking the oath and signing the letter of undertaking followed by three chief ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is Bukit Saban assemblyman; Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is Bukit Sari assemblyman and Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is Batu Kawah assemblyman.
The swearing-in ceremony went on with full ministers and assistant ministers taking their oath to serve the community in line with the State and Federal Constitutions.
Assistant Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Len Talif Salleh, Assistant Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (Tourism) Datuk Sebastian Ting and Repok assemblyman Datuk Sri Huang Tiong Sii were the three elected representatives absent from the swearing-in ceremony today.
Mohd Asfia said the leave of absence had been granted for Len Talif, who is Kuala Rajang assemblyman and Huang throughout this DUN sitting until Wednesday.
Mohd Asfia added that Ting, who is Piasau assemblyman, was granted absence of leave for today and tomorrow.
He said the leave of absence was granted “as they are currently under quarantine”.
This DUN sitting today is to enable the august House members to take their oath before Mohd Asfia and to fulfil the constitutional requirement for the DUN to have its first sitting within 120 days from the date of the its dissolution.
Five Bills will be tabled during this DUN sitting until Wednesday, and there will be no Question and Answer sessions or winding-up speeches by the ministers.
One of the five Bills is a constitutional amendment seeking to rename the Sarawak chief minister’s post as ‘Premier’.
It will involve amending Article 6(3) of the Constitution which amongst others substitutes the words ‘Chief Minister’ with the word ‘Premier’.
The Bill also proposes an amendment to Article 7A of the State Constitution to change the designation of ‘Assistant Ministers’ to ‘Deputy Ministers’.
If approved, the 26 current assistant ministers in Sarawak will become deputy ministers.
This Bill is scheduled to be tabled at the DUN tomorrow by Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The second and third readings of the Bill will be done on the same day.
On the Dec 18 polls, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) won 76 seats out of the 82 seats contested while Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) won four — Batu Lintang, Engkilili, Bawang Assan and Ba Kelalan and Democratic Action Party (DAP) winning two — Padungan and Pending. — Borneo Post
