Vital to ensure discipline in Sabah state administration: Mohd Shafie

KOTA KINABALU: To ensure existing regulations are observed, discipline should be the order of the day in the Sabah state administration, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
He said this was because the state was led by a new government and changes were imperative to ensure such regulations were observed, especially by opposition state assemblymen.
"It is important for us to ensure that there is discipline in the state administration ... whatever they (the opposition assemblymen) do ... the state government needs to know about it and the Yang Dipertua Negri of Sabah, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin also needs to be informed," he said.
He was commenting on the 19 Sabah assemblymen, namely nine from Umno, Parti Bersatu Sabah (six), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (two) and one each from Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah and UPKO, who failed to attend the special sitting of the State Assembly on June 11, and were sworn in before Speaker Datuk Syed Abbas Syed Ali the following day.
Mohd Shafie was speaking to reporters after an Aidilfitri open house held by state Cabinet ministers here today.
Commenting further, he said the action of these assemblymen to take the oath without following proper procedure was in violation of the set rules.
"We have rules that must be adhered to ... they (opposition assemblymen) can be sworn in because they have the right to take the oath. But rules must be complied with, and the state government as well as the Yang Dipertua Negri Sabah should be informed ... not come to the state assembly and immediately take the oath.
"The Yang Dipertua Negri Sabah was informed that the state assembly was scheduled to be held on July 2 and they could be sworn in then ... I have been in Parliament for a long time and know the rules and that they should be followed ... and this what is worrying us," he said. — Bernama