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With the 12th Malaysian General Election on 8th March 2008 done and over with, the winning party; in this case the National Front or BN at both the Federal (Parliament) and the Sabah State levels gets down to the business of governing.
Members of the Malaysian Parliament (MPs) were sworn-in before new Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (Lower House or House of Representatives ) last Monday 28th April 2008. The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong or Malaysian King declared open the new session of Parliament which also consists of an Upper House or the Senate (Dewan Negara) the following day.
The real business of Parliament began on April 30 with the one-and-a-half hour question and answer time followed by Motion of Thanks on the King's policy speech and its debate. It was also an historic day for the Malaysian Parliament as for the first time there was a half-hour live telecast over government TV beginning at 10am.
However, this telecast which was meant for the benefit of the Malaysian public who may otherwise never get a chance to see first hand what goes on inside Parliament was marred by heated argurments over petty matters between the Speaker, the Opposition and government backbenchers. As a result, only 3 questions were answered by Ministers over the one-and-a-half question time. Shame on you, Malaysian MPs (not all, only those involved), you wasted precious time and tax payers' money and betrayed their trust.
Faced with a threat by the Government to discontinue the live broadcast, however, the MPs' behavior improved when Parliament met for the second time today, Monday May 5th. Although the first 5-10 minutes or so were still wasted due to queries on the Speaker's decision by the same Opposition guy who started it all last Wednesday, at least 8 questions were answered by Ministers today.
As a result of this 'improved behavior', the Information Minister announced that he will consider increasing the half-hour live telecast to one full hour soon. So, you guys in Parliament, why don't you behave so that ordinary people will get a chance to witness what transpires in Parliament. After all, it was these ordinary folks who put you in Parliament and they will in 4-5 years' time again decide whether to send you back to Parliament. Remember, most of these ordinary folks may not even get a chance to step into Parliament building (let alone becoming an MP) in their lifetime! So please do them a favour.Thank you.
Anyway, there is a consolation though. Much as some of our MPs are childish, they cannot be as bad as their Taiwanese counterparts who actually fight, climbing onto tables inside Parliament, preventing the Speaker from chairing the meeting, and even male MPs physically attacking women MPs and so on. But who knows, given the big number of Opposition MPs now (82), we may just be like the Taiwanese one day if things get too heated.
By the way, there was another first in Parliament this time, at least for Sabahans in particular and East Malaysians in general. For the first time since the formation of Malaysia, both the Dewan Rakyat Speaker and his two Deputies are from East Malaysia!. The Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin and a deputy Datuk Ronald Kiandee are Sabahans while the other deputy Datuk Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar is a Sarawakian. One up for Sabah and Sarawak!
Coming back to Sabah, the 60 newly-elected State Legislative Assemblymen were sworn-in before the Speaker, Datuk Juhar Hj Mahiruddin (himself a former Deputy Speaker of Parliament) last Tuesday April 29. The Sabah Yang Di-Pertua Negeri (Governor), Tun Hj Ahmadshah Abdullah opened the new session of the Assembly the next day.
Although the number of Opposition Assemblyman remained the same in Sabah this time as compared to the last session - one - there was nonetheless history in that for the first time the Opposition and Kula Lumpur-based DAP managed to send a'Rocket' (the party's symbol) into the Assembly. He is Jimmy Wong representing Sri Tanjung in Tawau. In the last Assembly, the loner was Datuk John Ghani, the Independent Assemlyman from Kuala Penyu but he failed to defend his seat.
Last Thursday being a public holiday and the Assembly, just like Parliament, does not sit on Fridays; the Assemblymen met again today (Monday) until Wednesday when the Ministers will wind-up the debate on the Governor's policy speech for their respective Ministries. The Assembly is also expected to amend the State Constitution to enable the appointment of 4 new Assistant Ministers, bringing the total to 18. There are 11 Cabinet or full Ministers, similar to most other Malaysian States.
The 60 new Sabah State Legislative Assemblymen with the Governor and his consort at the opening ceremony on April 30.
Members of the Malaysian Parliament (MPs) were sworn-in before new Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (Lower House or House of Representatives ) last Monday 28th April 2008. The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong or Malaysian King declared open the new session of Parliament which also consists of an Upper House or the Senate (Dewan Negara) the following day.
The real business of Parliament began on April 30 with the one-and-a-half hour question and answer time followed by Motion of Thanks on the King's policy speech and its debate. It was also an historic day for the Malaysian Parliament as for the first time there was a half-hour live telecast over government TV beginning at 10am.
However, this telecast which was meant for the benefit of the Malaysian public who may otherwise never get a chance to see first hand what goes on inside Parliament was marred by heated argurments over petty matters between the Speaker, the Opposition and government backbenchers. As a result, only 3 questions were answered by Ministers over the one-and-a-half question time. Shame on you, Malaysian MPs (not all, only those involved), you wasted precious time and tax payers' money and betrayed their trust.
Faced with a threat by the Government to discontinue the live broadcast, however, the MPs' behavior improved when Parliament met for the second time today, Monday May 5th. Although the first 5-10 minutes or so were still wasted due to queries on the Speaker's decision by the same Opposition guy who started it all last Wednesday, at least 8 questions were answered by Ministers today.
As a result of this 'improved behavior', the Information Minister announced that he will consider increasing the half-hour live telecast to one full hour soon. So, you guys in Parliament, why don't you behave so that ordinary people will get a chance to witness what transpires in Parliament. After all, it was these ordinary folks who put you in Parliament and they will in 4-5 years' time again decide whether to send you back to Parliament. Remember, most of these ordinary folks may not even get a chance to step into Parliament building (let alone becoming an MP) in their lifetime! So please do them a favour.Thank you.
Anyway, there is a consolation though. Much as some of our MPs are childish, they cannot be as bad as their Taiwanese counterparts who actually fight, climbing onto tables inside Parliament, preventing the Speaker from chairing the meeting, and even male MPs physically attacking women MPs and so on. But who knows, given the big number of Opposition MPs now (82), we may just be like the Taiwanese one day if things get too heated.
By the way, there was another first in Parliament this time, at least for Sabahans in particular and East Malaysians in general. For the first time since the formation of Malaysia, both the Dewan Rakyat Speaker and his two Deputies are from East Malaysia!. The Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin and a deputy Datuk Ronald Kiandee are Sabahans while the other deputy Datuk Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar is a Sarawakian. One up for Sabah and Sarawak!
Coming back to Sabah, the 60 newly-elected State Legislative Assemblymen were sworn-in before the Speaker, Datuk Juhar Hj Mahiruddin (himself a former Deputy Speaker of Parliament) last Tuesday April 29. The Sabah Yang Di-Pertua Negeri (Governor), Tun Hj Ahmadshah Abdullah opened the new session of the Assembly the next day.
Although the number of Opposition Assemblyman remained the same in Sabah this time as compared to the last session - one - there was nonetheless history in that for the first time the Opposition and Kula Lumpur-based DAP managed to send a'Rocket' (the party's symbol) into the Assembly. He is Jimmy Wong representing Sri Tanjung in Tawau. In the last Assembly, the loner was Datuk John Ghani, the Independent Assemlyman from Kuala Penyu but he failed to defend his seat.
Last Thursday being a public holiday and the Assembly, just like Parliament, does not sit on Fridays; the Assemblymen met again today (Monday) until Wednesday when the Ministers will wind-up the debate on the Governor's policy speech for their respective Ministries. The Assembly is also expected to amend the State Constitution to enable the appointment of 4 new Assistant Ministers, bringing the total to 18. There are 11 Cabinet or full Ministers, similar to most other Malaysian States.
The 60 new Sabah State Legislative Assemblymen with the Governor and his consort at the opening ceremony on April 30.
The seating arrangement of the Assemblymen inside the Sabah State Legislative Assembly. The Ministers and Assistant Ministers are on the left, with the government backbenchers and the lone Opposition DAP Assemblyman on the right.
The list of the new Assemblymen elected on the 8th March 2008 election. It begins with the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman (BN-Sungai Sibuga) and ends with the lone Opposition DAP Assemblyman Jimmy Wong representing Sri Tanjung in Tawau.(Please click on images for larger view.)
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