PBS says Deputy Speaker should quit

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS)wants Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Vice President Datuk Frankie Chong Yu Chee (pix) to resign as the State Legislative Assembly's Deputy Speaker now than his party is no longer a member of the Barisan Nasional Government.

"He (Chong) is morally obliged to vacate the post," PBS Melalap divisional Secretary Simon Mamat said, adding that Chong's position as Deputy Speaker was no longer relevant since SAPP was no longer part of the national coalition government.

Chong, a former Senator, is the SAPP constituency Liaison Committee's chairman for Melalap in Tenom.

Mamat in a statement said the matter was not about the constitution but more a moral obligation and convention that he (Chong) must vacate the post.

"Chong cannot be amphibious and live in two different sets of environment," he said.

In a statement to the Press in Kota Kinabalu last week, Chong said he would continue to be Deputy Speaker after seeking clarification on his position with the Speaker Datuk Juhar Mahiruddin.

"The Speaker informed me that according to the State Constitution and the law, my position as Deputy Speaker is not affected (by SAPP action to pull out of BN),' Chong said.

Article 15A of the State Constitution says the appointment of a Deputy Speaker is by the Yang Dipertua Negeri.

Chong is one of the two Deputy Speakers of the 60-members State Legislative Assembly, the other being Johnny Mositun of PBS.

Meanwhile, of SAPP Deputy President Datuk Raymond Tan to remain as Deputy Chief Minister and Infrastructure Development Minister, and Chong to keep his Deputy Speaker's post, Sabah DAP's sole Assemblyman Jimmy Wong (Tawau) has this to say: "This is absolutely a big political joke!."