Speaker: S’wak govt to table five Bills in coming DUN sitting

KUCHING (Nov 18): The tabling of the Supply (2024) Bill 2023, Sarawak Ombudsman Bill 2023, and Environment (Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Emission) Bill 2023 will be the major highlights at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting next week, said its Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar.

He said these would be among the five Bills to be tabled during the DUN sitting slated for Nov 20-29.

The tabling of the Sarawak Ombudsman and Environment (Reduction of Greenhouse Gases) will set Sarawak as the first state in the country to have such ordinance, he added.

“There are five Bills that will be tabled during this DUN sitting which are the Supply (2024) Bill 2023; Sarawak Ombudsman Bill 2023; Environment (Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Emission) Bill 2023; Distribution of Gas (Amendment) Bill 2023, and Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2023,” he told reporters after the pre-DUN meeting chaired by the Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters here today.

He said the first readings of all bills would be done on the first day of the sitting on Nov 20.

This includes the tabling of the Supply (2024) Bill 2023, which would be presented by Abang Johari, he added.

“The second and third readings of the Supply (2024) Bill 2023 will be held on November 20, and Wednesday 29 November 2023 respectively.

“Sarawak Ombudsman Bill 2023 will be tabled by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is also the Minister of Natural Resources and Second Urban Development and Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment.

“The third bill to be tabled is the Environment (Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Emission) Bill 2023. It will be tabled by Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, who is in charge of  Law, Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) State-Federal Relations.

“While the two bills – Distribution of Gas (Amendment) Bill 2023 and Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2023 – will be tabled by Minister of Utilities and Telecommunications Sarawak Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi,” said Asfia.

Adding on, Asfia said a total of 322 questions have been submitted from 43 honourable members for the DUN sitting.

“Out of 322 questions, 222 are for oral replies by 39 honorable members while 100 written questions were submitted by 27 honorable members,” he said.

In a breakdown, Asfia noted that the Public Health, Housing  and Local Government Ministry still topped the number of questions received with 54 questions.

He also said that the secretariat has been informed that there will be one motion regarding investments.

According to him, the motion will be tabled under Meeting Regulation 23(1)(a) and to be read together with Article 33(1)(c) of the Sarawak Constitution and Section 6(2) of The Sarawak Sovereign Wealth Future Fund Board Ordinance, 2022 [Cap.81].

“The motion will be presented by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also the Second Minister of Finance and New Economy on Nov 21,” he said.