The King has decreed the state of emergency be continued until 2 February 2022 with no elections to be held within that period.
The proclamation of the continuation is necessary to tell the Cabinet ministers and the public that the King is in control of all matters during emergency and that Cabinet ministers could not override the King. The proclamation of the emergency by the King is for the purpose of fighting an unseen enemy of the nation and the the King is the Commander in Chief of all armed forces and the cabinet ministers and all armed forces have to take orders from the King.
The proclamation by the King is only about no elections to be held during the period of 2 August 2021 until 2 Feb202 but does not mention that the term of all YBs of DUN Sarawak are to continue until 2 February 2022.
Therefore, all YBs in Sarawak DUN should not be paid their salaries and allowances during the period of emergency.
There is no provision in the Sarawak Constitution for the Speaker or Sarawak Cabinet to order YBs be paid their salaries and allowances during the emergency. The lacuna in the law should be resolved in favour of public good that no moneys should anymore be spent on the YBs.
For the current 82 YBs of Sarawak DUN, the government has to come with estimated amount of about RM2 million each month on salaries and allowances of the YBs. For the next six months an estimated sum of about RM11 million shall be spent on the YBs and Cabinet Ministers.
Such sums of moneys should be used to fight Covid-19 because this is also consistent with the decree of the King.
The Sarawak Constitution gives no provision to the King to allow salaries and allowances be paid to the YBs during the emergency times after King decree no elections upon expiry of emergency on 2 August 2021.
Voon Lee Shan
President
Parti Bumi Kenyalang
31 July 2021