KUCHING: Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen has been suspended from the Sarawak Legislative Assembly for the remainder of the current sitting after breaching multiple standing orders during a state budget debate.
The suspension follows controversial statements made by Chong regarding the state government's alleged purchase of an executive jet for VVIP use. The assembly sitting runs through Oct 21.
In an assembly dominated by the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition, which holds 80 of the 82 seats, 62 present members voted in favour of suspending the Sarawak DAP chairman on Thursday (Oct 15).
Pending assemblyman Violet Yong, the sole remaining DAP representative present, voted against the motion, while GPS-leaning Independent Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How abstained. Chong was absent from the chamber as he was attending Parliament.
Tabling the motion to suspend Chong, State Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said the opposition leader persistently repeated unverified allegations that he failed to justify when instructed by Deputy Speaker Datuk Idris Buang.
Lee noted that Chong used offensive language against fellow lawmakers, imputed improper motives to other members, and made allegations he was unprepared to substantiate.
On Wednesday (Oct 14), Chong had accused Wilfred Yap (GPS-Kota Sentosa) of "hallucinating" after Yap called out Chong's remarks on the executive jet transaction.
Lee warned that Chong’s unsubstantiated allegations were likely to incite ill will and amounted to deliberately misleading the august house, adding that disciplinary actions require "care, fairness, and a clear regard for the responsibilities entrusted to us as members."
Sarawak Speaker Tan Sri Awang Asfia Awang Nassar ruled that Chong’s speeches on Oct 13 and 14, as recorded in the Hansard, "in their entirety flagrantly violated the standing orders."
During the budget debate, Chong claimed the state government paid at least RM300mil for a pre-owned 2016 Dassault Falcon 8X executive jet with an estimated market value of US$40mil (RM167mil).
Alleging that state-owned air charter company Hornbill Skyways had been "ripped off," Chong questioned why no procurement evaluation was conducted and why the purchase price was nearly double the aircraft's market value.
