Speaker announces Dr Ting is an assemblyman

The subject of disqualification of Pujut assemblyman had gone to the Appellate Court. We are waiting for the ruling of the Appellate Court on the appeal.

KUCHING: Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon is a legitimate member of the State Legislative Assembly ( DUN) at the current sitting while waiting for a ruling on his disqualification from the Appellate Court.

This was announced by DUN Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar before DUN was adjourned.

“The subject of disqualification of Pujut assemblyman had gone to the Appellate Court. We are waiting for the ruling of the Appellate Court on the appeal.

“In the meantine the Honourable member of Pujut can take his rightful place as an Honourable member of this august House,” Asfia said.

During the DUN morning session, opposition leader Chong Chieng Jen had said that Asfia should inform the House that Dr Ting is a valid elected representative at the start of sitting.

“This should be the point of order because the procedure of the DUN must be carried out impartially,” Chong had told reporters.

Chong, who is Kota Sentosa assemblyman, furher said that the least that Asfia could do was to inform the DUN that Dr Ting’s disqualification has been set aside by the High Court, otherwise the record of the history of DUN ( Hansard) would still show Dr Ting’s disqualification despite his presence yesterday.

The DUN on May 12 had disqualified Dr Ting as Pujut assemblyman for allegedly having Australian citizenship.

The disqualification came after

Datuk Amar Mohd Awang Asfia Awang Nassar, DUN Speaker

70 assemblymen voted in favour of a ministerial motion to disqualify him which was moved by Minister of International Trade and ECommerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh. Ten voted against the vote. However, DAP brought the matter to court and on June 17, the Kuching High Court ruled that Dr Ting’s disqualification through a vote in the DUN was null and void. The DUN appealed to the Court of Appeal against the High Court decision and is still awaiting for the ruling.