Senate committee makes Sarawak DUN first stop
KUCHING: The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly ( DUN) is the first stop of the Senate Reform Working Committee’s (JKRDN) nationwide visit to gather feedback to prepare reports for parliamentary reform and good governance.
JKRDN chairman Senator Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff said they had made the right call to come to the Land of the Hornbills first.
“Sarawak is the first state that we chose to visit, and I think we have made a very right decision.
“Because ( DUN Sarawak is) full of wisdom, knowledge and information, and more importantly, for me, I’ve learnt a lot in this wonderful short trip,” he told a press conference following a two-hour discussion with a delegation of Sarawakian leaders headed by DUN Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar at the DUN Complex in Petra Jaya yesterday.
Mohd Yusmadi was leading a delegation comprising 11 senators on a working visit to the state.
According to him, the main aim of the trip is for the committee to learn from the experience of DUN Sarawak, particularly the Speaker.
“We are actually in the midst of preparing reports to serve as a recommendation to the Selection Committee led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is chairing the Parliamentary Select Committee for Parliamentary Reform and Good Governance.”
He said the initial reports had to be done before March.
“And so far, we have been getting very good and encouraging support from the minister incharge
Sarawak is the first state that we chose to visit, and I think we have made a very right decision. Senator Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff, JKRDN chairman
of parliamentary affairs,” he said.
Mohd Yusmadi extended his gratitude to Mohd Asfia and the state’s delegation for receiving JKRDN despite the short notice.
“We had a very good discussion, and we learnt a lot this morning (yesterday),” he said, adding that his delegation would also pay courtesy calls on Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing as well as Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.
Meanwhile, Mohd Asfia said the meeting “provides an exchange of views with their experience, wisdom and knowledge with ours”.
He believed that this marked the beginning of good relationship and cooperation between DUN Sarawak and the upper house.
“We ( DUN Sarawak) are unicameral, meaning there is only one DUN – no lower house, no upper house. They in Kuala Lumpur are bicameral.
“The upper house can and will be relevant and helpful to the DUN of Sarawak and the people of Sarawak,” he pointed out.
Mohd Asfia said the upper house was made up of senators, who “are not tied to constituency duties and responsibilities”.
“So their horizon is wider and further, and they can interact and pass their experience internationally and nationally to us in order to strengthen the ties with the state and the federal, and between the upper house and the DUN of Sarawak,” he added.