KUCHING, May 12 — Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen regards the criticisms from the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) backbenchers against him, indicate the presence ‘bullying mentality’ in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN).
Adding on, the Padungan assemblyman views the state of GPS having command over 80 out of the 82 DUN seats as ‘not good for democracy in Sarawak, and surely is not in the interest of the common people of Sarawak’.
“It only accentuates the urgent need for more checks and balances in DUN Sarawak,” said Chong in a statement yesterday, issued in response to Chong receiving flak from several members of the august House last Wednesday (May 8) for not supporting the motion of appreciation to former Yang Di-Pertua Sarawak, the late Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
Adding on, Chong said people had voted him into the Assembly to speak out their voices, ‘not to say pleasant things into the ears of GPS’.
Moreover, the DAP lawmaker said the GPS elected representatives should learn to respect and appreciate different views, instead of trying silence them.
On Wednesday, Chong had said that despite Taib’s contributions to the development of Sarawak, ‘there was also a cloud of suspicion over his administration when he was the chief minister’.
This statement had irked Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, the Dalat assemblywoman.
“In this circumstance, I think what he (Chong) said was uncalled for. It’s totally contradictory to our Asian values and disrespectful to those who have passed on,” said Fatimah when debating the motion.
She added that it would have been better for Chong to remain quiet rather than to say something that could hurt the feelings of others, especially Taib’s family members. — The Borneo Post
