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Borneo Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Dismissal of motion to review Premier, Cabinet's travel expenses a ‘planned charade', says Chong
Chong says what the Speaker did earlier today has undermined the function of the DUN on providing an oversight on the Executives. – Photo by Roystein Emmor KUCHING (May 28): Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen is unhappy that a motion submitted by him at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) was dismissed by Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar. In a statement, he said what the Speaker did earlier today has undermined the function of the DUN on providing an oversight on the Executives. 'The main reason it has come to such is because of the overpowering 80-2 majority the GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) enjoys in the DUN sitting. If such unbalanced government to opposition ratio continues, more extravagance and wastage of public funds will be kept from public eyes and swept under the carpet,' said the Democratic Action Party Sarawak chairman. He was referring to the motion seeking review of the Speaker's decision to disallow the question by Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong on the detailed expenses of the Premier and Cabinet ministers official overseas trips. Asfia had cited multiple procedural and substantive breaches under the DUN's Standing Orders in dismissing the motion. Chong was also unhappy that Asfia allowed Wilfred Yap (GPS-Kota Sentosa) to speak on the motion without even allowing him, the mover of the motion, to start debate on it. He described this as a 'planned charade'. 'He (Asfia) seems to have subscribed to the claim by ADUN for Kota Sentosa that I should go and ask the Prime Minister on the expenses of the Prime Minister and federal Cabinet ministers' official oversea trips. For the information of the Speaker and the ADUN for Kota Sentosa, information of the expenses of the Prime Minister and the federal ministers' official trip has been made public in a parliament answer. 'If the federal government can reply such a question in Parliament, there is no justification why the state government cannot reply such a question in DUN. The Speaker's reliance on foreign investment to justify the huge oversea trips expenditure of the state ministers is misplaced,' he said. He pointed out in the supplementary supply bill for 2025, it was mentioned the Premier's office alone needed RM100 million as its 'rental for air-chartered service'. He said that figure does not even include the expenses for official oversea trips of the other 10 ministers and 26 deputy ministers. 'Last year, the Ministry of Local Government, Housing and Public Health alone, sought additional RM3 million for overseas trips. 'Even taking the Premier's office's RM100 million rental of air-chartered expenditure alone without counting the overseas trips of other ministries, it is still too extravagant given that the whole of the federal cabinet's oversea trips in 2024 was only RM44 million,' he said. Chong was referring to the ruling by Asfia on May 26 in dismissing a question by Yong concerning the overseas travel expenses. 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. 'If we compare the foreign investment, the country attracted a total RM378.5 billion while Sarawak attracted RM14.12 billion – 3.7 per cent of the country's FDI. In contrast, the RM100 million is more than double the RM44 million spent by the whole federal cabinet on oversea trips,' he said.
Borneo Post
26-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
DUN Speaker dismisses question on Premier, Cabinet's travel expenses
Mohamad Asfia stated that the costs involved were merely a 'pittance' and 'trivial' compared to the billions in foreign investments the state has successfully attracted. – Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING (May 26): State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar has dismissed a question concerning the overseas travel expenses of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and his Cabinet ministers. In delivering his ruling, Mohamad Asfia stated that the costs involved were merely a 'pittance' and 'trivial' compared to the billions in foreign investments the state has successfully attracted. In his proclamation, the Speaker cited Standing Orders 20(3), 20(4), and 20(6) to disallow the question submitted by Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong, as well as earlier remarks raised by Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen. He ruled that the question was not admissible as it had either been previously declined, was prejudicial to the proceedings of the Dewan, or was deemed against public interests. He defended the necessity of official overseas travel by state leaders, arguing that the expenditure was justified by the outcomes achieved. 'The few millions you spend on travelling become pittance and trivial compared with the billions, multi-billions that Sarawak achieved,' he said. Mohamad Asfia further stressed that international engagements such as inspecting aircraft in France or infrastructure in Qatar could not be conducted online. 'If you do this transaction by email or online or Facebook, it will be catastrophic. The loses to Sarawak will be in billions,' he stated. He argued that overseas engagements were crucial to Sarawak's rapid development and investment inflow, highlighting that the state's revenue had increased from RM10.6 billion in 2020 to RM14.18 billion in 2024. 'Investment from overseas and foreign investments like Niagara Falls poured into Sarawak … RM54.35 billion. This is unprecedented in the entire history of Sarawak or any state in the nation,' he said. He also justified such expenditures by offering hypothetical scenarios saying those wanting to purchase an Airbus aeroplane would have to travel to France to verify the aircraft. 'You do not go alone. You cannot use email and online for this airport and seaport or the purchase of the latest aircraft from France,' he stressed. Warning against attempts to question the state's development strategies, Mohamad Asfia said such scrutiny could 'impede and jeopardise Sarawak's economic miracle and expansionist programme'. 'You do not question and impede Sarawak progress, economic miracle, and so forth. Question is disallowed,' he reiterated. Yong's question requesting a breakdown of overseas travel expenses incurred over the past five years was rejected on the first day of the DUN Sitting on May 19. Subsequently, during a press conference on May 23, Chong had criticised the decision to reject Yong's question. lead Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar overseas travel expenses
Borneo Post
20-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Land Code amendment ‘timely' in protecting Sarawak's natural wealth
Wong Soon Koh. – Photo by Chimon Upon KUCHING (May 20): The Land Code (Amendment) Bill 2025 is a timely measure to safeguard Sarawak's natural wealth while balancing economic development and environmental protection, said Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh. He expressed his firm support for the amendment, but noted concerns raised by Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen over Clause 3, which introduces harsher penalties for those found extracting, removing or transporting rock materials without a valid licence. However, Wong brought up Clause 4 of the Bill, which empowers the Director of Lands and Surveys to issue licences for the export of rock materials from Sarawak. 'In doing so, we must ensure that resource extraction contributes meaningfully to the state's economy, while also maintaining environmental sustainability and our long-term sovereignty over Sarawak's natural wealth,' he said when debating the amendment Bill in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today. Wong pointed out that rock materials such as granite, limestone, silica sand, kaolin clay and even rare earth elements were of high commercial value domestically and internationally. He said given their depletable nature, he urged that exports be tightly regulated and aligned with Sarawak's constitutional right to manage its own land and resources under Article 95B(3) of the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). 'Once these materials are gone, they are gone forever. That's why we must set annual limits on how much can be extracted and exported.' Thus, he stressed that all exports must be licensed and subject to strict Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), with operators held accountable for rehabilitation and pollution control. In addition, he proposed that a special resource fund be established, financed through export duties and royalties, to support infrastructure development and environmental conservation. Wong also advocated for exploring local processing of certain rock materials before export, as part of Sarawak's push for downstream industries, which would help generate employment and spur domestic economic growth. 'Before every licence is issued, we must assess whether the rock material can be processed locally. This would create value-add opportunities and benefit our local communities.' Emphasising the need for effective enforcement, Wong called for stringent monitoring mechanisms to track the movement of rock materials and to clamp down on illegal mining and exports. 'The Land Code (Amendment) Bill represents a significant step in asserting Sarawak's control over its land resources. If implemented responsibly, the export of rock materials can yield long-term benefits for the people of Sarawak today and for future generations,' he said.
Borneo Post
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Chong raises concerns over religious provision in Land Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025
Chong arriving for today's State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting. – Photo by Roystein Emmor KUCHING (May 20): Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen today voiced his objection to the inclusion of religious elements in the Land Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, warning that it could erode Sarawak's long-standing secular governance and sow future legal and social discord. Debating the Bill tabled by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today, Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman focused on Clause 9, which introduces a new Section 171A to provide for the registration of 'wakaf' (religious endowment) land under the Sarawak Land Code. According to him, the provision allows individuals or Majlis Islam Sarawak to apply for land to be declared as 'wakaf', while also opening the door for similar recognition under other religions with equivalent practices. 'This is the first time in Sarawak's history that a religious doctrine is being inserted into the Land Code, which is a law of general application meant for all, regardless of faith. 'Sarawak has no official religion under its constitution, and this move sets a precedent that goes against our secular foundation,' he said. Chong thus warned that importing the Islamic concept of 'wakaf' into a general land law could result in legal uncertainties and potential religious conflict. He also questioned how disputes involving 'wakaf' land and non-Muslim claimants would be handled, whether by civil or sharia courts, and whether such challenges would be seen as opposing a religious decision. 'Conflicts like these have already created tension in West Malaysia. Sarawak must not go down the same path,' he said. Apart from that, he also highlighted the lack of clarity in the Bill, noting that the term 'wakaf' is not defined within the Land Code itself. 'Interpretation of such religious concepts might end up depending on fatwa councils rather than civil courts, undermining our legal neutrality,' he said. As an alternative, Chong proposed that Clause 9 and part of Clause 14, both related to 'wakaf', be removed from the Bill and suggested that the government instead table two separate comprehensive Bills: one to regulate Islamic 'wakaf' and another for non-Muslim charitable trusts. Turning to other parts of the amendment Bill, Chong also addressed Clause 3, which imposes harsh penalties on those found extracting, removing, or transporting rock materials without a licence. While he agreed with regulating rock extraction to protect the environment and ensure proper oversight, he pleaded for leniency toward small-scale lorry drivers who transport the materials. 'These drivers are daily wage earners who own only one lorry. They often have no power to demand quarry owners to show their permits. Yet, under this amendment, they can be presumed guilty of illegal extraction simply for carrying rocks and this is unfair and excessive,' he said. On development matters covered in Clauses 16 to 18, Chong called for greater sensitivity in urban planning, especially regarding high-rise developments that disrupt existing residential communities. He highlighted the case of the RISE Residence project at Jalan Haji Taha, where a rubbish collection centre was approved directly in front of houses on Lorong Haji Taha 2. 'This is not just a planning flaw, it's a daily discomfort for the residents. The authorities should amend the approved plan and relocate the rubbish centre to a less intrusive location,' he urged. Meanwhile, Chong also praised the state's policy of requiring financial contributions from large housing developers to fund affordable housing, but called for refinements to ensure its effective implementation. Chong Chieng Jen DUN sitting Land Code (Amendment) Bill lead wakaf
