KOTA KINABALU – Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) will be using the increment from its assemblymen’s allowance to fund legal costs for its ongoing 40% revenue state entitlement originating summons here.
In a joint statement issued by the opposition lawmakers today, it was said that the increment would also allow them to fully utilise any potential appeals up to the federal court in demanding for Sabah rights.
PH reps in Sabah had filed the originating summons on June 3.
The statement was jointly issued by Datuk Christina Liew (Api-Api-PKR), Peto Galim (Inanam-PKR), Phoong Jin Zhe (Luyang-DAP), Frankie Poon (Tanjung Papat-DAP), Jannie Lasimbang (Kapayan-DAP), Tan Lee Fat (Likas-DAP) and Ewon Benedick (Kadamaian-Upko).
The Sabah assembly yesterday passed the bill to increase the wages of ministers, assistant ministers, and assemblymen yesterday.
The increase in remuneration of the state assemblymen will now go from RM7,950 to RM11,130.
In the same light, the Sabah PH assemblymen also urged the state government to carry out reforms in the state assembly to justify the increase in Sabah lawmakers’ remunerations.
Among the reforms they suggested were creating an inter-party committee to demand for state rights to be fulfilled and increasing the number of assembly sittings.
Additionally, some of the proposed reforms entail forming a special select committee under the state assembly to serve as a check and balance for all Sabah ministries, calling for the involvement of local assemblymen in the district disaster committees, and introducing a new enactment for fair development allocation in all state constituencies. – The Vibes, July 20, 2022
