Sabah DUN convenes for key session as dissolution rumors swirl
KOTA KINABALU (July 4): The Second Meeting of the Fifth Term of the 16th Sabah State Legislative Assembly (DUN), set to begin next Monday, is expected to attract significant public interest.
According to Sabah Speaker Datuk Seri Panglima Kadzim M. Yahya, this is due to public speculation that the upcoming session could be the last before the dissolution of the assembly.
'Under the constitution, there must be at least three sessions per year. Perhaps the excitement around this session stems from many assuming or feeling that this will be the final one before dissolution. That's why there's a bit of hype,' he said in an media interview at his office on Thursday.
'In terms of preparation, there's nothing special. Everything is proceeding as usual, including the questions. This is simply the schedule for the second session of the year. If the assembly is dissolved after this, then it becomes the last session of this term. But if not, we may still have a third session to fulfill constitutional requirements. Typically, this second session deals with supplementary supply bills,' he explained.
Kadzim revealed that the two-day meeting will also debate three bills: the State Sales Tax (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Forest (Forest Reserve Establishment Amendment) Bill 2025 and a new bill, the Sabah Climate Change and Carbon Governance Bill 2025.
'This time, aside from the supplementary supply bill, we have three other bills. One concerns forestry amendments, another is the SST amendment, and the third is a new bill on Climate Change and Carbon Governance,' he said.
'This is not a special budget session, just a supplementary supply bill. It covers unbudgeted expenses from the previous budget that now require approval for additional spending,' he clarified.
Meanwhile, addressing public perceptions about restricted access to the assembly premises, Kadzim explained that certain rules must be followed by observers, as the Sabah DUN has been gazetted as a prohibited area under a notice effective September 2, 2024.
'We're not banning or preventing people from coming, but we don't want the DUN to turn into an event like those at SICC (Sabah International Convention Centre) where crowds swarm in. Given that the DUN area has been declared a security zone, there are limits on public access,' he said.
'Some say it's difficult to attend the assembly sessions now, but that's not entirely true. Many elected representatives request permission for constituents to attend, and we allow it, just not for the entire day or every day. If their representative is speaking, we permit them to observe,' he stressed.
He added that entry regulations for the Sabah DUN and Parliament are similar, as both are gazetted as restricted areas prioritizing security measures.
'The SOPs and rules are essentially the same, though Parliament is larger. Access there is even stricter, only certain areas like the lobby are open to the public. The debating chamber isn't freely accessible to everyone,' he said.
'The assembly hall is for debates and speeches. Too many people inside can cause disruptions, especially if they don't understand decorum, like clapping. Table-thumping is the convention here as a form of appreciation, unlike concerts or ceremonies. Even in court, clapping isn't allowed, why don't people complain about that?' he quipped.
Kadzim was accompanied by Sabah DUN Secretary Rafidah Maqbool Rahman during the interview.
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