KOTA KINABALU: The rushed dissolution of the Sabah Legislative Assembly on Monday was likely prompted by uncertainty over the actual expiry date of its term under the State Constitution, said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee on Monday.
The former Chief Minister said Article 21(3) of the Constitution clearly states that the Assembly shall continue for five years from the date of its first sitting, which was on Nov 12, 2020, making Nov 11, 2025, the final day of its term.
Yong said the Speaker was therefore correct in determining the expiry date, adding that a gazette issued on Oct 2 calling for a special sitting under Standing Order No. 6 was irrelevant, as that provision only applies when an existing Assembly has been adjourned.
He explained that Standing Order No 15, which provides for the first sitting of a newly elected Assembly, was the proper legal basis in 2020, and the dissolution now appears aimed at preventing any dispute over constitutional timing.
Yong added that the move was also made in time for the Chief Minister to seek the Governor’s consent before his scheduled departure to Kuala Lumpur for the Rulers' Conference.