Pujut assemblyman can challenge dismissal in court - Wan Junaidi

DAP's state assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon who was disqualified as Pujut assemblyman can challenge the decision in court but his chances of achieving a positive result is pretty slim, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar

The minister said this following the decision of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly yesterday to disqualify Dr Ting in line with provisions of the law and privileges of the assembly.

Based on experience, Wan Junaidi who has served as Deputy Speaker of Dewan Rakyat, said since the outset Dr Ting had been disqualified from contesting in the elections because he held an Australian citizenship.

"From the standpoint of the constitution, the Sarawak state assembly''s action is correct and fair," he told reporters at the opening of the Nurul Hidayah Surau in Kampung Cemerlang here today when asked to comment the State Legislative Assembly''s disqualification of Dr Ting after International Trade and E-Commerce Minister Datuk Sri Wong Soon Koh''s had put forward a motion, which sought to disqualify Dr Ting as an elected representative at its sitting yesterday.

Wan Junaidi said that as Malaysia was a democratic country, Dr Ting could bring the decision to court.

"If the matter is taken to court, the court will look at whether the decision was a priority of the Sarawak state assembly. If the court interprets the action as the jurisdiction of the state assembly with its own privileges the court cannot determine whether the state assembly''s action is right or not because it is outside the jurisdiction of the court under the constitution," he said. - BERNAMA