Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS)wants Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Vice President Datuk Frankie Chong Yu Chee (pix) to resign as the State Legislative Assembly's Deputy Speaker now than his party is no longer a member of the Barisan Nasional Government.
"He (Chong) is morally obliged to vacate the post," PBS Melalap divisional Secretary Simon Mamat said, adding that Chong's position as Deputy Speaker was no longer relevant since SAPP was no longer part of the national coalition government.
Chong, a former Senator, is the SAPP constituency Liaison Committee's chairman for Melalap in Tenom.
Mamat in a statement said the matter was not about the constitution but more a moral obligation and convention that he (Chong) must vacate the post.
"Chong cannot be amphibious and live in two different sets of environment," he said.
In a statement to the Press in Kota Kinabalu last week, Chong said he would continue to be Deputy Speaker after seeking clarification on his position with the Speaker Datuk Juhar Mahiruddin.
"The Speaker informed me that according to the State Constitution and the law, my position as Deputy Speaker is not affected (by SAPP action to pull out of BN),' Chong said.
Article 15A of the State Constitution says the appointment of a Deputy Speaker is by the Yang Dipertua Negeri.
Chong is one of the two Deputy Speakers of the 60-members State Legislative Assembly, the other being Johnny Mositun of PBS.
Meanwhile, of SAPP Deputy President Datuk Raymond Tan to remain as Deputy Chief Minister and Infrastructure Development Minister, and Chong to keep his Deputy Speaker's post, Sabah DAP's sole Assemblyman Jimmy Wong (Tawau) has this to say: "This is absolutely a big political joke!."
2 comments:
I don't see why Chong has to vacate his post just b'cos SAPP is no longer in the ruling coalition. We have to start to realise that a person has to do the job b'cos of his capabilities and not b'cos of his political affiliations. This has to start somewhere and this is the best time to do it. Since a lot of attention is on Sabah and Sarawak on being hailed as kingmakers, lets show all of Malaysia that transparency and impartiality starts from the lawmakers themselves and that is from the DEWAN. What is so morally wrong for Chong to stay on, unless he finds it morally wrong to stay on. If he is forced to vacate, then its like taking candy away from a kid b'cos he is no longer my friend. Lets start to grow up politically.
Hi Tony,
Thanks for passing by.
The coming days from today will be interesting to watch the steps taken by SAPP leaders.
Yesterday Raymond Tan said Chief Minister Musa Aman told him to stay as his Deputy but today there is already talks/reports saying that Raymond Tan had resigned.
For Chong, he has the Speaker backing him to remain as Deputy Speaker.
Post a Comment