DAP motion to withdraw bankruptcy allegations against Ting thrown out

KUCHING: A DAP motion seeking the withdrawal of bankruptcy allegations against its sacked Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon was thrown out by the Sarawak Legislative Assembly. 

Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen, who tabled the motion on Monday, wanted International Trade and E-Commerce Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh to withdraw his allegations that Dr Ting was declared bankrupt twice in Australia. 

Chong also wants Wong to apologise for allegedly misleading the House for equating insolvency with bankruptcy during the latter's motion to disqualify Dr Ting last Friday. 

He said Wong's motion was based on Dr Ting's name appearing on a search with the Australian Financial Security Authority's National Personal Insolvency Index. 

He said that Wong had make a "wrongful assumption" that insolvency was the same as bankruptcy. 

"Dr Ting was never made a bankrupt in Australia and the search referred to in the motion did not state that he is a bankrupt," he said. 

Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar dismissed Chong's motion as it was irrelevant and out of order. 

He said Wong's motion to disqualify Dr Ting was over his Australian citizenship, not his financial status. 

"So I believe the minister owes no apology," he said.

Furthermore, Asfia said Dr Ting was not present to answer questions about his financial standing as he was no longer an assemblyman. 

"To debate about his financial status is irrelevant simply because he is not in the House to reply," he added.