STATE Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar (pic) revealed that a motion by Violet Yong (PH-Pending) was rejected because it was short of ten days’ notice.
Mohd Asfia said it was in breach of Standing Order 23(1) which stipulates that motions must be submitted
not fewer than ten days prior unless it is in the name of a minister or on the Speaker’s authority.
Yong submitted the motion on October 25 (the deadline), the last day on which a motion can be accepted.
The DAP leader’s motion was to move for speedy adjudication on the legitimacy of the Sarawak government’s claim on the sales tax from national oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas).
“The motion was dated October 25, 2019 for the DUN sitting which commenced on
November 4, 2019. Between these dates were nine days because November 4 was excluded for the calculation.
Asfia added that the motion did not call for the recovery of unpaid state sales tax from Petronas but to determine the legitimacy of the tax.
“In the State 2019 Budget, what were passed were within the legislature’s authority, competence and powers, which include the imposition of the state sales tax on petroleum products.
“In presenting the State 2019 Budget, the chief minister (Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) made it clear that the tax was imposed under the State Sales Tax Ordinance, 1998.
He explained that if the motion was allowed to be debated, it would make a mockery of the powers and privileges constitutionally conferred by Article 72 of the Federal Constitution on the august House.
“Petronas is the only oil company that has been recalcitrant in paying the sales tax. Because of Petronas’ intransigence, the law has to take its course.
“There are altercations, if unresolved amicably, could metamorphosise into different dimensions and dynamics,” he said.
