(1) FEASIBILITY STUDY/REPORTS BY SAMA CONSORTIUM

(2) MEASURES TO OVERCOME PROBLEMS OF SEA-WATER INTRUSION

(3) PROBLEMS AT DURIN, SUNGAI ASSAN, SUNGAI MAAW FERRY POINTS

(4) CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES IN SIBU

(5) ROYALTIES FOR OIL AND GAS

(6) PUBLICATION OF NEWSPAPERS IN IBAN LANGUAGE

(7) LAND GAZETTED UNDER SECTIONS 47 & 48

(8) EXPIRY OF LAND LEASE

(9) AMENDMENT OF RELEVANT SECTIONS IN SARAWAK LAND CODE

(10) GUNS SURRENDERED TO GOVERNMENT
 
 

Speeches /Debates

"MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND MEMBERS OF DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI (REMUNERATION, PENSIONS AND GRATUITIES) (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1966"

"MOTION OF THANKS TO TYT YANG DI-PERTUA NEGERI SARAWAK FOR OPENING OF the 1st Meeting Of the 1st Session Of the 14th DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI"

DEBATE SPEECH BY WONG HO LENG, STATE ASSEMBLYMAN FOR BUKIT ASSEK, SIBU, ON THE SUPPLY (1997) BILL, 1996 
 
 
 

Encik Wong Ho Leng: Tuan Speaker, I rise to participate in the debate respecting the amendment bill, 1996. Tuan Speaker, with the additional responsibilities having now been imposed on the shoulders of the Deputy Speaker, it is appropriate that the remuneration be increased. Although it is understood that the bill will involve the government an extra financial expenditure to the extent of the RM36,000 per annum, the DAP, through me, would voice its full support to this amendment bill.

Tuan Speaker, this august House has heard Ahli Yang Berhormat for Pelawan, Mr. Wong Sing Nang, voicing his full support to the Forests (Amendment) Bill. This is the second time DAP voices support to yet another amendment bill. It only proves that DAP is not here to oppose for the sack of opposition. When they are correct, when there are right moments for the DAP Ahli-Ahli to support any bill, the DAP Members would be responsible enough, mature enough to lend its full support.

Tuan Speaker, I have said that the increment comes at an appropriate moment. Apart from the additional responsibilities being imposed on the feeble shoulders of the Deputy Speaker, our cost of living has actually increased since the past few years. We only have to walk down the local stores and the corridor of supermarkets or flip through old newspapers and compare with the new, Tuan Speaker, one would see that increases in prices of commodities, be they basic necessities or imported products have occurred in the State of Sarawak and Malaysia in general. Even our locally produced products, Tuan Speaker, like the vehicles, the Proton Saga or the Perodua, the Kancil, for that matter, Tuan Speaker, are on the increase by leaps and bounds.

Of course, Tuan Speaker, politicians and statesmen must lead by examples. Although the increase is a mere RM1,000 to RM4,000, we as politicians and statesmen, for that matter, must not spend all the money. We must lead by example, try to save as much as we can and I am sure the subject affected by this amendment bill will be able to sane as much as he can in order not to add pressure to the inflation spiral, Tuan Speaker. It is also at this juncture, Tuan Speaker, that I would like to address this august House on the duties and responsibilities of a Speaker and, for that matter of course, that includes the Deputy Speaker.

Now, Tuan Speaker, the Speaker is a principal officer of this House. He is the guardian of its privileges and is representative on all official occasions. He is responsible for proper conduct of debate of the House. He is expected to carry out his duties with complete impartiality between the parties and to preserve the right of minorities in this House. Tuan Speaker, he shall also preside sittings of the Dewan Undangan Negeri and, in his absence, the Deputy Speaker will preside. He shall preside the sitting according to Standing Orders. Without a Speaker, the House can transact no business.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is a tradition in Westminster Parliamentary System, once elected or appointed, the Speaker sheds his previous political affiliations and not only become totally impartial but is seen to do so. The Speaker is the person to dispense justice. I need not remind that we have a case by the name of Crown verses Sussex Justices in the occasion where his lordship talked about dispensation of justice. It is said that justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done. The case of the 1800's, Tuan Speaker.

Now, Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Speaker presides on a debate in the House but does not participate himself. He maintains order, enforces the rules, if necessary, interpret the Standing Orders and the practice of the House. He gives the point of order and gives ruling when called upon to do so. Rulings once given stand as precedence in this House. The Speaker is equipped with disciplinary powers by which he can call Members to order, suspense a sitting in circumstances of grave disorder or to ask Member to resume his seat or withdraw from the Chamber for the remainder of the day's sitting or sack a Member to the House when the penalty is called for.

The Speaker calls on Members to speak in debate and his choice is not open to dispute. He has a particular duty to protect the rights of the minority, but no Speaker will ever fail to do by the exercise of his impartiality. Neither must he lose sight of the rights of the majority nor of any dissident elements beneath the umbrella of the majority party.

The Speaker is equipped with powers which emphasize the judicial nature of this office such as to decide whether my question of privileges should have precedence over all other business, to interpret subjudice conventions, to invoke the sanctions provided for dealing with disorderly conduct. Although these duties and responsibilities of Speaker or for that matter, the Deputy Speaker, is much well known to all of us, I believe it is worth that we constantly remind ourselves that we must respect the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker.

Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min: But then, in the Standing Orders, you forget one very crucial fact - the Speaker does not speak.

Encik Wong Ho Leng: Tuan Speaker, probably I am not at this stage, Sir, engaged in a debate with Ahli Yang Berhormat for Limbang. However, I am not suggesting that the chairman should do any speaking. The chairman should preside over the sitting of this House.

Now, Tuan Speaker, at this juncture while dealing with this debate on this amendment bill, I on behalf of the DAP would also ask that some facilities be given to the opposition Members and also of course to be fair to the independent Members in this House.

Tuan Speaker, we are representatives of the people who have voted us into this House in the last state election. We are servants for that matter of the people. We need...

Dr. Soon Choon Teck: Tuan Speaker, I think we are debating on the remuneration for the Deputy Speaker rather than talking about the facilities in the House.

Tuan Speaker: I think I will allow them talking about certain privileges. I think you just carry on.

Encik Wong Ho Leng: Thank you, Tuan Speaker. Now, 1 am grateful to the suggestion by my learned friend but I think I am on the right track.

Tuan Speaker, I was just making a comment that we are servants of the people and we should not feel shy to say that we are indeed graceful servants of the rakyat. We need to reciprocate and we need therefore to provide services that of course have quality. And to be able to provide the quality services, Tuan Speaker, we need some facilities. And DAP for that matter ask that the government do provide us with an office in this Dewan together with all incidental and basic facilities like having a fax machine, photocopier, secretary - that was just a suggestion, multi-media computer, Internet, in order that we may be able to access and retrieve information as speedily as possible in order that we may participate in the debate of this House with quality.

Tuan Speaker, we are here to ask that this sort of facilities be given to us. I am glad to inform Tuan Speaker that on 25th October, 1996, last month, I myself together with Y.B. for Pelawan, Y.B. for Kidurong made a visit, and, of course Mr. Wong Sing Nang was already in the Parliament before, and particularly Mr. Wong Sing Ai from Kidurong and myself, it was the first time we visited the Parliament House. We are most impressed that the Malaysian Government, the Federal Government, does provide facilities, offices and secretaries for our Opposition Leader, Mr. Lim Kit Siang. I am asking that this government with all its wisdom and judicious discretion would provide us, the DAP, with the same facilities. Although, Tuan Speaker, the presence of DAP, the three Rockets in this august House does not seem to be a familiar sight to most of us, I am quite confident that the Honourable Chief Minister with his usual vision and wisdom would provide us and grant us such convenience and facilities.

Thank you, Tuan Speaker, and I fully support as I said the amendment bill for this debate.

Menteri Pembangunan Sosial (Datuk Haji Adenan bin Haji Satem): Tuan Speaker, just on the point of clarification. DUN Members of the DAP, are they asking for special privileges just for themselves? Let us be reminded that all of us in this Dewan including Barisan Nasional Members and Backbenchers, they have never asked for it and now after they have been in this House for a very short time, they not only try to lecture the Speaker on what to do but they also try to get extra benefit for themselves to the exclusion of all others. I just want to know what is so special about them?

Encik Wong Ho Leng: Tuan Speaker, I rise to have a short reply to the Yang Berhormat. DAP is not asking for special privileges. DAP is only asking for some facilities in order that we may discharge our duties. Must that Y.B. has suggested... (Interruption)

Menteri Pembangunan Sosial (Datuk Haji Adenan bin Haji Satem): Do they mean to say that if they don't have this special privileges they do not know how to discharge their duties?

Encik Wong Ho Leng: Tuan Speaker, certainly we know how to discharge our duties. We are only saying that some sort of facilities provided to the DAP would enable us to provide better and more efficient services. You should not fear that the DAP representatives here have access to the Internet, have a computer equipment which enable us to have information as quickly as possible. This is no longer 1950. We are moving towards the 21st century, Tuan Speaker. We must have a vision. The vision is as representative of the people, without such facilities we may not be able to provide as good services as we want it to be. Therefore, Tuan Speaker, I am hoping that this is not a privilege which we are taking, plucking from the sky. This is no imagination. Although the Yang Berhormat is suggesting that the Barisan Nasional Members have not been asking for such facilities, I think for the sake of the rakyat, for the better provision of services, I am sure they have also the discretion to ask for such facilities, and again I am confident the Honourable Chief Minister with his usual vision and wisdom would also grant them these facilities.

Tuan Speaker: Yang Berhormat, I think we have to stop on this topic now. Any other Honourable Member like to speak on the bill? If not, then I call on the Minister for Infrastructure Development to say his last few words, if he has any to say.