Rep slams S'wak speaker's ruling to block query on state travel spending
Pending assemblyperson Violet Yong has voiced strong disapproval over the recent decision by Sarawak legislative assembly speaker Amar Asfia Awang Nassar to reject her question seeking a breakdown of government spending on overseas trips by state leaders and their family members.
In a statement today, Yong expressed her 'deep disappointment and concern' over the speaker's ruling, which deemed the question inadmissible under Standing Orders 20(3), 20(4), and 20(6).
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Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
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Prove ‘divisive' label, Sarawak DAP tells Sim
Sarawak DAP secretary Violet Yong said SUPP's willingness to work with PAS under the PN government is not in line with Sarawak's multicultural values. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Sarawak DAP has challenged Sarawak deputy premier Dr Sim Kui Hian to prove his claim that the party is 'divisive'. Sarawak DAP secretary Violet Yong reminded Sim that his Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) had worked with Perikatan Nasional (PN) and its influential component PAS when Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chose to align with PN in 2020. In a statement to FMT, Yong said this was proof that SUPP was willing to work with 'extremists' whose agendas ran counter to Sarawak's multicultural values. 'That decision alone speaks volumes about their priorities and the compromises they are willing to make in the name of political expediency,' she said. 'I challenge Dr Sim to point to a single example where DAP has ever divided Sarawakians. When have we ever played the politics of race or religion? The answer is never.' Sim said yesterday that Sarawak had enjoyed prolonged political stability because DAP was never part of the state government. The GPS vice-chairman also said that DAP was divisive and polarising, Dayak Daily reported. Yong, the Pending assemblyman, accused Sim of 'political ignorance and whitewashing' with his statement, calling it a 'gross insult' to the fundamentals of parliamentary democracy. She said DAP, which won only two out of 82 seats at the last state polls, accepted the results and had worked on being an effective opposition by providing checks and balances. 'That is the essence of democracy – not blind obedience to those in power, but principled service to the rakyat. 'True political stability is achieved when every voice is heard, when power is held accountable, and when governance is inclusive – not when the ruling elite is shielded from scrutiny.'
Daily Express
6 days ago
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Prove ‘divisive' label, Sarawak DAP tells Sim
Published on: Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Published on: Wed, May 28, 2025 By: Nicholas Chung, FMT Reporters Text Size: Sarawak DAP secretary Violet Yong said SUPP's willingness to work with PAS under the PN government is not in line with Sarawak's multicultural values. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA: Sarawak DAP has challenged Sarawak deputy premier Dr Sim Kui Hian to prove his claim that the party is 'divisive'. Sarawak DAP secretary Violet Yong reminded Sim that his Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) had worked with Perikatan Nasional (PN) and its influential component PAS when Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chose to align with PN in 2020. In a statement to FMT, Yong said this was proof that SUPP was willing to work with 'extremists' whose agendas ran counter to Sarawak's multicultural values. 'That decision alone speaks volumes about their priorities and the compromises they are willing to make in the name of political expediency,' she said. 'I challenge Dr Sim to point to a single example where DAP has ever divided Sarawakians. When have we ever played the politics of race or religion? The answer is never.' Sim said yesterday that Sarawak had enjoyed prolonged political stability because DAP was never part of the state government. The GPS vice-chairman also said that DAP was divisive and polarising, Dayak Daily reported. Advertisement Yong, the Pending assemblyman, accused Sim of 'political ignorance and whitewashing' with his statement, calling it a 'gross insult' to the fundamentals of parliamentary democracy. She said DAP, which won only two out of 82 seats at the last state polls, accepted the results and had worked on being an effective opposition by providing checks and balances. 'That is the essence of democracy – not blind obedience to those in power, but principled service to the rakyat. 'True political stability is achieved when every voice is heard, when power is held accountable, and when governance is inclusive – not when the ruling elite is shielded from scrutiny.' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Borneo Post
7 days ago
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Yong: Speaker's dismissal of travel expenses question alarming, undermines democratic governance
Yong said she was deeply disappointed and concerned by the ruling. KUCHING (May 27): State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar's dismissal of a question seeking a breakdown of expenses for official overseas trips involving the state government has been called 'alarming'. Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong said she was deeply disappointed and concerned by the ruling, stating her question was 'legitimate'. She said Mohamad Asfia's assertion that such expenditures are 'trivial' or a 'pittance' is not only dismissive, but fundamentally undermines the principles of transparency, accountability, and democratic governance that the people of Sarawak deserve. 'We are not questioning the necessity of official overseas missions when they are truly for the benefit of Sarawak. What we are demanding is accountability in how public funds are spent. 'As elected representatives, we have a duty to uphold the public trust. How can we fulfil that responsibility when legitimate questions are blocked under the vague pretext of being 'against public policy'?' she questioned in a press statement today. According to Yong, citing Standing Orders 20(3), 20(4), and 20(6) to reject this line of questioning sets a dangerous precedent where any inquiry into government spending may be unilaterally shut down, robbing the DUN of its role as a checks and balances mechanism. She said the people have every right to know how their money is being used, especially when it involved potentially millions and millions of ringgit in travel and related expenses. 'It is alarming that while the Sarawak GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) government claims to have nothing to hide, it simultaneously refuses to disclose basic financial details. 'The Speaker's statement that online methods are insufficient for inspections or negotiations is beside the point. We are not disputing the need for engagement; we are questioning the cost, scope, and propriety of these trips, including who went, how much was spent, and whether the outcomes matched the expenditure,' she argued. Yong said Sarawakians are not asking for classified trade secrets but simply clarifications on how their tax money was spent, especially when public welfare, healthcare, infrastructure, and rural development remain inadequate across many parts of Sarawak. 'By suppressing my question, the Speaker and the Sarawak GPS government risk eroding public trust and feeding a culture of opacity,' she said. 'Dismissing calls for transparency as disruptive to Sarawak's so-called 'economic miracle' is both irresponsible and unacceptable. True economic progress does not fear scrutiny but embraces it.' She reiterated her call for the Sarawak government to immediately disclose the breakdown of public funds used for official overseas trips over the last five years. 'If the Sarawak GPS government is bold enough to spend the rakyat's money, why are you so afraid to tell the rakyat the truth?' In delivering his ruling, Mohamad Asfia had stated that the costs involved were merely a 'pittance' and 'trivial' compared to the billions in foreign investments the state has successfully attracted. Warning against attempts to question the state's development strategies, the Speaker said such scrutiny could 'impede and jeopardise Sarawak's economic miracle and expansionist programme'. lead Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar overseas travel expenses violet yong
