POLICY debates in the Sabah Legislative Assembly usually last for hours, but it was not the case today.

Speaker Syed Abbas Syed Ali adjourned the sitting at noon.

Yesterday, the first day of the sitting of the 15th state assembly, no opposition member actively participated in the debate on the head of state’s policy speech.

Usually, debates are held after the question-and-answer session about 11am, and end at 5pm. They sometimes continue well into the night.

“I’m shocked… I don’t know for sure, but I think this is a record time (for adjournment). We have 20 opposition reps, but none wanted to debate… some of them also left early,” said state Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wong.

He added that a strong opposition is needed to serve as checks and balances.

Sabah has 20 opposition assemblymen, who were sworn in for a second time yesterday.

Their lack of participation in the assembly sitting could be due to them awaiting the court decision on the originating summons filed by state Barisan Nasional chairman Musa Aman over the legitimacy of the chief minister’s appointment.

Musa had been sworn in as chief minister on May 10. However, crossovers led to Parti Warisan Sabah president Mohd Shafie Apdal taking the oath of office two days later.

On May 13, Istana officials passed a letter to Musa’s camp, stating that his appointment had been revoked.

Musa maintains that he is the legitimate chief minister. His originating summons will be heard in chambers on July 9.

Sabah Star president Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has reiterated that they are not the opposition, and that the second swearing-in was done out of respect for the state speaker’s office.

Stephen said it is too early to accuse the reps of setting an unhealthy trend, and that he believes the assembly sessions will “get better” starting tomorrow.

Sit-in opposition leader Kitingan had between 30 and 45 minutes to speak, but decided not to use up the allocation, said Tanjung Aru assemblyman Junz Wong.

He said the head of the backbenchers’ club, Jamawi Jaafar, who is also Kemabong assemblyman, had earlier told him that the opposition bench will not speak up.

Jamawi tabled the motion of thanks to debate the head of state’s policy speech. The debates saw the participation of Paginatan rep Abidin Madingkir, Tan Lee Fatt (Likas) and Calvin Chong Kiet Kiun (Elopura). – July 3, 2018.