Sabah Ministers Flouting The Mco Says Yong

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Former Sabah Chief Minister Yong Teck Lee says the head of state can suspend the assembly sitting and reconvene after the Covid-19 crisis has been brought under control.KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Chief Minister Yong Teck Lee has hit out at state government ministers for flouting the movement control order (MCO) by gathering for the state assembly and organising mass gatherings
He said they should be exemplary leaders and should have heeded the stay-at-home directive
“The Sabah government should set a good example to the people by not continuing with the Monday and Tuesday legislative assembly sittings next week
“The authorities keep telling the people to ‘stay at home’ but the VIPs in authority are perceived to be openly flouting the MCO
“Government ministers are also seen roaming around posing for photos of them giving out food assistance, yet the ministers want the police to maintain roadblocks to keep ordinary people at home,” he said here today
Yong noted from media reports that at the opening of the state assembly on Thursday, many elected reps and officers were seen mingling around
He also noted how many Sabah ministers were wooing big crowds when handing out aid to the needy, citing the “one person, one cabbage” incident in Inanam, also on Thursday, organised by Sabah PKR leader Kenny Chua, who is the Inanam rep
“If the government leaders continue to set the wrong example, then the public goodwill and consent to be governed under MCO regulations can be gradually diminished
“The government cannot afford to continue to dish out more cash subsidies. The people, at the same time, cannot be told to keep making sacrifices
“If or when this happens, then the MCO law enforcers will have a harder time enforcing compliance with MCO regulations,” said Yong
The Sabah Progressive Party president also said the head of state could suspend the assembly sitting
Article 21(2) of the Sabah constitution stipulated that the head of state may prorogue the legislative assembly, he said
“The assembly may be re-convened after the MCO period
“There is no constitutional necessity to continue with the assembly sitting on Monday and Tuesday,” said Yong, adding that the assembly can still meet as long as it is not after more than six months, as stated in the Sabah constitution
As for the sitting on April 16, Yong said the assembly has met all the constitutional requirements and therefore there is no need to continue next week
“For comparison, the Penang assembly only sat for two hours on April 17 and the Sarawak assembly sat for one day on April 13, while Parliament will sit for only one day on May 18,” he said. - FMT

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