Kuching: “You may suspend one Padungan, but you cannot suspend the people of Padungan.” ADUN for Pending Violet Yong delivered this message to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), warning that suspending ADUN for Padungan Chong Chieng Jen would not silence the people’s demand for accountability or determine who voters elect to represent them.
Speaking against a motion to suspend Chong for the remainder of the current Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting, Yong said GPS should not use its overwhelming majority to suppress opposition voices or discourage criticism.
“And let me make one thing very clear: if GPS thinks that suspending one opposition representative will frighten the rest of us into silence, it has seriously underestimated the people of Sarawak.
“Remove one Padungan today, and more DAP representatives will return to this House after the next state election with an even stronger mandate from the people,” she said.
Yong reminded GPS that the people, not the ruling coalition, ultimately determine who represents them in the State Legislative Assembly.
She stressed that while GPS could use its majority to pass motions and make decisions, it could not demand that everyone agree with the government.
“A government that is confident in its performance should have no fear of criticism. Only a government that cannot tolerate being challenged would resort to silencing its critics,” she said.
Yong said it was unfair to suggest that Chong had deliberately chosen not to attend the sitting, revealing that she and Chong had met the Speaker on Wednesday to explain that he had a parliamentary commitment the following day.
She said Chong was scheduled to address Parliament’s Question No. 5 on the growing prevalence of drug abuse and the spread of synthetic drugs in Sarawak’s cities and towns, including the effectiveness of police enforcement and new measures to tackle the problem.
Despite being informed of the scheduling conflict, Yong said the Speaker had allowed the suspension motion to proceed in Chong’s absence, denying him the opportunity to be heard and raising concerns over the principles of natural justice.
