Posted by Wong Ho Leng on November 18, 2007 at 17:48:37: Dewan Diary – Prelude (18th Nov., 2007)
The job must be done, and done well. We owe it to our voters. We owe it to our State and the Nation.
With a confident smile, I told my wife that I was going to war. The battle front is rugged as always. The grenades will be hurled at us, but like true soldiers, we will not say quit.
We are not apple polishers but mean fighters for a good cause. The Government must hear us, the true voice of the conscientious Sarawakians.
Already, the heat is up. The Parliamentary election is coming, and the BN wishes to use the legislative chambers to impress. Surely, the Chinese dailies would have been "told" to reduce space for the Opposition who are bound to make noise. The English dailies will be the usual. They would abide by anything the Government "directs". Even our names may cause the printers to crash. But we will not be deterred. I pity the English readers. They are denied the truth happenings in the sacrosanct chamber of our legislature.
I had read Chin Sing's and Ting's speeches. I am glad that they have dedicated a lot of space to the Iban causes. These are the forgotten people. Their only hope for truth is in us. Their BN wakil will not dare speak the whole truth. The whip will whack their bums.
I had dinner with all my charges, except Voon, who had to attend a dinner. That was our "Pre-Council Conference", and I must admit that I was displeased by Voon's absence. The Dinner was arranged some 6 months ago.
There should be plenty of debates. But the centerpiece ought to be the Supply (2008) Bill 2007. We call it the Budget. Without it, the State next year will paralyze, like one of the episodes that happened in Australia. So, we will give comments and speak out for our people, without fear or favour.
Other Bills to be tabled are (i) Supplementary Supply (2005) Bill, 2007, (ii) Supplementary Supply (2007) Bill, 2007, (iii) Muslim Wills (Repeal) Bill, 2007, (iv) Sarawak Stadium Corporation (Repeal) Bill, 2007 and (v) Land Code (Amendment) Bill, 2007.
We have designated persons to debate all the Bills. Mine will be more onerous, as I will take on all of them except the Sarawak Stadium Corporation (Repeal) Bill, 2007.
Two Motions will be moved, one of which is mine, and that was a Motion asking the State Government to support AAB's crusade against corruption. It will be revealing and nasty and Chong will second my Motion. But it will only come up if there is time, and it is not surprising for Government backbenchers to drag on in order to kill even the attempt to table the Motion. The Government Motion comes first. DCM George Chan is going to move a Motion to amend the Standing Orders. From the papers, we believe it concerns decorum in the Dewan. To me, it is another effort since 6 months ago to gag and stifle the Opposition. But we have promised that we won't be cowed. We will be good soldiers and will not lay down our arms without a good fight.
It is uphill battle isn't it? No. There is always the joy in knowing that we the 6 stooges are not alone in our battle.
Wong Ho Leng
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