Opposition to table motion on Taib's alleged graft

Opposition leader in the Sarawak state legislative assembly, Wong Ho Leng, has submitted a motion to be tabled at next week's session on allegations of corrupt practices by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

The motion centred on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigation into the office of the chief minister, said Sarawak state assembly speaker Awang Asfia Awang Nasar (right) today.

He said he had received the motion from Wong on June 13.

“I acknowledge having received the motion,” he told reporters.

He said for a private member's motion to be tabled, it must meet the requirements of Standing Order 23 of the Sarawak state legislative assembly.

“One of which is that the motion must comply the 10-day notice for it to be accepted and tabled for a full debate,” he said.

If the 10-day period is strictly enforced, Wong's motion will never see light of the day since June 22 has been set aside for any member who wishes to table a motion. He is short by one day.

Asfia declined to state whether Wong's motion has met Standing Order 23.

“I will only make the ruling inside the chamber and during the sitting,” he said.

Wong (left) also submitted a motion on the use of money by the Barisan Nasional in the just-concluded state election.

He said he received the motion on May 30.

The opposition has accused the BN of using money politics to win the state election, which the Barisan Nasional promptly denied.

In any case, Wong's two motions are unlikely to go for full debate as they would be tabled after the government's business for the day has been dealt with.

As in most cases, the BN state assemblypersons would leave the chamber once the government's business for the day is over, leaving only the opposition members behind.

10 questions rejected

The speaker also said he had rejected 10 questions from the state assemblypersons for the question-and-answer session.

“These questions are considered to be out of order as they breach the standing orders,” he added.

It is believed that one of the rejected questions was submitted by Kota Sentosa assemblyperson Chong Chieng Jen (left) who wanted to know the list of the parcels of land alienated to companies whose shareholders consist of the son, daughter, brothers and/or sister of the chief minister and the acreage of these parcels of land, over the last 15 years.

Chong, who is also the Bandar Kuching member of parliament, also wanted to know what was the amount of the premium charged by the state government for the alienation of such land to these companies.

He asked whether the land were alienated to these companies through open tender, and If not, what were the reasons for alienating these parcels of land to these companies?

Questions or issues concerning Taib's family business are out of bounds in the state assembly, even during the debate on the state budget.