KUCHING: Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Deputy Speaker Datuk Gerawat Gala has expressed his support for the practice of not having one person holding simultaneous posts as an MP and a state assemblyman.
“The practice of not having an MP stand as a candidate for state election is a practice among certain parties like the components of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS),” he said, adding that most political parties had adopted the same practice.
Nevertheless, he pointed out that there was no law or rule to disqualify an MP contesting as a state assemblyman or vice versa.
“That is why there are MPs like Datuk Ali Biju who is an MP and also an ADUN (state assemblyman) in Sarawak, and other similar cases in other states in Malaysia,” he said when contacted Tuesday (Nov 2).
Gerawat added that the responsibilities and tasks of MPs and state assemblymen were heavy and demanding.
“Holding both positions may overstretch the MP/ADUN and affect the level of service rendered to his constituents.
“For example, when parliamentary and State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sittings happen at the same time, the MP/ADUN will inevitably miss some of the Parliamentary or DUN meetings as he cannot be in both places at the same time,” he said.
Gerawat, who is also Mulu assemblyman, said there were capable and willing leaders who could either serve as an MP or a state assemblyman, and such leaders deserved to be given the opportunity to serve the people.
In addition, he said that having different individuals as MP and state assemblyman would allow each person to focus on their respective constituency and give their best service to their constituents.
“Just look at YB Baru Bian whose parliamentary constituency is Selangau in Bintulu Division and state constituency is in Ba’Kelalan in Limbang Division. Just observe how difficult it is for a politician to service a state constituency in addition to a parliamentary constituency,” he pointed out.
Based on this, he said it was not in the interest of the people to have an MP who was also a state assemblyman at the same time.
Raising another point, Gerawat said, “In the current political climate where we have witnessed changes in the government at the federal level, an MP who is also an ADUN may land in a situation and position of conflict where he is part of the federal government but not part of the state government.”
He said that such circumstances would not bode well with the elected representative’s constituents.
“For the above reasons, I support the practice of not having the same person as MP and ADUN,” said Gerawat.
Meanwhile, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah pointed out that nothing was stated in the Malaysian Constitution to forbid any eligible Malaysians from holding a post as an MP and, at the same time, as a state assemblyman.
“However, some political parties have their own convention, that is, one cannot represent the party as an MP and as an ADUN at the same time,” he said.
