The Sabah State Legislative Assembly ( ms, Dewan Undangan Negeri Sabah,
Kadazandusun: ''Langga' Tinukuan Pogun Sabah'') is a part of the legislature of
Sabah,
Malaysia, the other being the
governor of Sabah
The Governor of Sabah (Yang di-Pertua Negeri) is the ceremonial head of state of the Malaysian state of Sabah. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri is styled Tuan Yang Terutama (TYT; "His Excellency").
The current officeholder is Juhar Mahiruddin, who wa ...
. The assembly meets at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly Building at
Likas in the state capital of
Kota Kinabalu.
This unicameral legislature currently has 73 seats representing
state constituencies elected through a
first-past-the-post electoral system across the state.
Like at the federal level in
Malaysia, Sabah uses a
Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which members are elected to the legislative assembly through general elections, from which the chief minister and the cabinet are appointed based on majority support. The chief minister is head of government, while the governor acts as head of state. The largest party not forming the government is known as the official opposition, its leader being recognised as leader of the opposition by the speaker.
Members of the assembly refer to themselves as "Members of the Legislative Assembly" (MLAs) and sometimes as "state assemblymen".
The most recent assembly was elected on 26 September 2020. 73 members were elected into the 16th Sabah State Legislative Assembly. As permitted by the State Constitution, the Governor may add six more as nominated MLAs.
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (abbrev:GRS; en, Sabah People's Alliance), also officially known as the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah Party or for shorts GRS Party is an official registered political coalition and the current ruling coalition in Sabah. Hajiji ...
coalition consisting of
Perikatan Nasional (PN),
Barisan Nasional
The National Front ( ms, Barisan Nasional; abbrev: BN) is a political coalition of Malaysia that was founded in 1973 as a coalition of centre-right and right-wing political parties. It is also the third largest political coalition with 30 se ...
(BN) and
United Sabah Party (PBS) formed the government on 29 September 2020.
Lawmaking
In accordance with the traditions of the
Westminster system, most laws originate with the cabinet (government bills), and are passed by the legislature after stages of debate and decision-making. Ordinary members may introduce privately (
private members' bills
A private member's bill is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most Westminster system jurisdictions, in wh ...
), play an integral role in scrutinising bills in debate and committee and amending bills presented to the legislature by cabinet.
Officeholders
Chair occupants
Chair occupants of the assembly are appointed by the governor on the chief minister's advice. Kadzim M. Yahya (
BN-
UMNO) has been the speaker since 8 October 2020. He is assisted by two Deputy Speakers, Ahmad Abdul Rahman (
WARISAN
Warsan or Warisan ( ar, ورسان) is a locality in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Warsan is an industrial neighbourhood of Dubai, bordering Al Warqaa to the north and Nad Al Sheba to the west. Warsan is subdivided into four localities &m ...
) who was appointed on 7 June 2018
and George Anthony Ginibun (
WARISAN
Warsan or Warisan ( ar, ورسان) is a locality in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Warsan is an industrial neighbourhood of Dubai, bordering Al Warqaa to the north and Nad Al Sheba to the west. Warsan is subdivided into four localities &m ...
) who was appointed on 26 June 2018.
Majority leader
The majority leader is always the
chief minister, who also leads the
Cabinet. He is appointed by the
Governor on the basis that he is able to command a majority in the assembly.
Hajiji Noor (BERSATU), MLA for Sulaman, has been the chief minister since 29 Sep 2020.
Minority leader
The minority leader is always the leader of the opposition appointed by the largest party not forming the government. Following the defeat of Warisan Plus coalition in the recent state election,
Mohd. Shafie Apdal (WARISAN), MLA for Senallang, becomes leader of the Opposition.
Officers
Speaker and Deputy Speaker
The Governor, on the advice of the Chief Minister, appoints one person from the membership of the Assembly or, in deviation from traditional Westminster practices, from non-members who are qualified to be elected as members of the Assembly, as the presiding officer of the Assembly, known as the
Speaker, and another person from the membership of the Assembly to be Deputy Speaker. The lengths of their service are specified by the
letters patent
Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...
that appointed them; however, their term may end premature if they no longer qualify for the membership of the Assembly, they resign, or the Governor terminates their speakership on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Speaker is also disqualified from the chair if they
have any personal interest in another organisation; the Deputy Speaker does not need to vacate their office if they have such interests, but is barred from presiding over any matter that affects their interests.
The Speaker or Deputy Speaker presides from a chair at the front of the chamber (opposite the entrance). A member who believes that a rule (or Standing Order) has been breached may raise a , on which the Speaker makes a ruling that is not subject to any appeal. The Speaker may discipline members who fail to observe the rules of the Assembly. The Speaker or Deputy Speaker remain members of their respective parties while holding the speakership, but they are required by convention to act impartially while presiding over the Assembly. A Speaker or Deputy Speaker who is also an elected member of the Assembly retain voting rights, but by convention does not vote in proceedings they preside over except to break a tie, only doing so according to
Speaker Denison's rule.
The following are the Speakers of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly since 1963:
Secretary and Deputy Secretary
The Secretary and Deputy Secretary of the Legislative Assembly are
civil servant
The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
s that serve as the chief advisers of procedural matters, as well as head the day-to-day administration of the Assembly. They serve a similar role to the
Clerk of the House of Commons
The Clerk of the House of Commons is the chief executive of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and before 1707 of the House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parli ...
in the United Kingdom, advising the Speaker on the rules and procedure of the Assembly, signing orders and official communications, and signing and endorsing bills. They are permanent officials and not members of the Assembly. The Governor has the sole power to appoint or remove them.
Other officers
The maintains the law, order and security of the Assembly, within the chamber and on the premises of the Assembly building. The Serjeant-at-Arms also carries the ceremonial mace, a symbol of the authority of the Governor and of the Legislative Assembly, into the chamber each day in front of the Speaker, and the mace is laid upon the Table of the Assembly during sittings.
Committees
The Legislative Assembly uses committees for a variety of purposes, e.g. for the review of bills. Committees consider bills in detail, and may make amendments. Bills of great constitutional importance, as well as some important financial measures, are usually committed to the , a body that includes all members of the Assembly. This committee sits in the main chamber itself.
Committees can also be created for any purpose – these are known as Select Committees. However, the Select Committees of the Assembly primarily handle administrative matters of the chamber. For example, the Selection and Standing Orders Committee meet to select members of other committees as well as consider changes to the Standing Orders; the Public Petitions Committee handles petitions of any matter from the public; and the Privileges Committee considers questions of
parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity enjoyed by members of certain legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made in the course of their legislative duties. ...
, as well as matters relating to the conduct of the members. Committees need to be re-established at the beginning of each term.
List of Assemblies
See also
*
Cabinet of Sabah
Notes
References
External links
Sabah State Legislative Assembly official website
{{Sabah
Politics of Sabah
S
Unicameral legislatures