KUCHING: Two groundbreaking bills will be tabled at the coming sitting of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly beginning on Monday, said Speaker Tan Sri Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar.
He said the Sarawak Ombudsman Bill 2023 and the Environment (Reduction of Greenhouse Emission) Bill 2023 are among five bills to be tabled during the eight-day sitting.
“Both bills, (on) the ombudsman and environment, are the first in Malaysia. No one has done it (tabling such bills),“ he said.
Mohd Asfia told reporters this after attending a pre-council meeting for the sitting, chaired by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today.
He said Abang Johari will be tabling the state’s 2024 Budget under the Supply (2024) Bill on Monday.
He said there would be no limit on the number of assemblymen debating the ombudsman and environment bills as there is no such legislation in the country yet.
Mohd Asfia said two other bills that would be tabled are the Distribution of Gas (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2023.
He said 222 oral questions and 100 written questions had been received for the coming sitting, which ends on Nov 29.
Iskandar Turkee, who won the Jepak seat in a by-election earlier this month, will take his oath at the coming sitting.
Mohd Asfia said State Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas would table a motion to withdraw funds from the State Consolidated Fund to be transferred to the newly formed Sarawak Sovereign Wealth Fund.
“There will be a motion for the election of a senator. Senator Datuk Dr Nuing Jeluing (elected by the Sarawak state assembly) will finish his second term as a senator on Dec 10,“ he said.
He said Bawang Assan state assemblyman Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, who is Parti Sarawak Bersatu president, is no longer the opposition leader in the state assembly after he announced that his party is supporting the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
When asked who would be the new opposition leader, Mohd Asfia replied: “You come to the DUN (state assembly) this Monday.” - Bernama
