Covid food aid committee’s report presented to DUN to show transparency — Dr Sim
KUCHING: The High Court here yesterday was told that the committee’s report for the food aid drive for Covid-19 had been tabled in State Legislative Assembly (DUN) to show transparency on the part of the Sarawak government.
This was stated by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian during cross-examination by lawyer Michael Kong, who is defending Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen in the defamation suit filed by Dr Sim.
Kong had asked Dr Sim if there were discrepancies between what had been informed by the Sarawak government and Chong’s personal experience about the food aid allocation.
Kong: When was this food aid committee report tabled in DUN?
Dr Sim: I can’t remember the exact date but it was in one of the DUN sittings and the report is available to all ADUN YBs (state assemblymen).
Kong: Do you agree with me this food aid committee report was not tabled in DUN as at April 17, 2020?
Dr Sim: Yes, because the DUN was not sitting on that date because of MCO (Movement Control Order).
Dr Sim, who is Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president, also agreed when Kong put it to him that the food aid committee report was only tabled and showed to the public months after April 17, 2020.
However, he insisted that he did not have any report of the food aid distribution as he was not a member of the committee.
In 2020, Dr Sim filed the defamation suit over Chong’s allegation that the deputy premier had failed to manage food aid funds worth RM800,000 meant for four opposition-held state constituencies – Padungan, Batu-Lintang, Pending and Kota Sentosa.
Dr Sim is represented by lawyer Shankar Ram who is assisted by Yu Ying Ying and Russell Lim, while Chong is represented by Kong, Chong Siew Chiang and Brenda Chong.
The defamation suit heard before judge Dr Alwi Abdul Wahab continues today.