KUCHING: PRS president Dato Sri Dr James Masing is against the idea of amending the state constitution to provide for the nomination of non-elected representatives to sit in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN).

“I do not think there is any requirement to amend the law. We are appointed as members of the Cabinet because the rakyat elect us to be there.

“Everybody must go through the due process of the law and if you don’t get it… hard luck lah. We cannot amend it just to accommodate a few who cannot make it,” he reasoned.

He added that the law practised here had been in existence for years and there was “nothing wrong with it”.

Masing, who was sworn in as a full minister yesterday after retaining his Baleh seat in the 10th state election, said the wish of the rakyat was paramount in a democratic country.

“If the rakyat elect us, so be it. The process cannot change just to accommodate a few,” he said when asked to comment on the suggestion made by Senator Datuk Idris Buang on Sunday.

Idris had suggested that the state BN government nominate non-elected representatives from the Chinese community to sit in the State Legislative Assembly after the Chinese-based SUPP suffered heavy casualties in April 16 polls.

Idris pointed out that this could be done by making amendments to the state constitution to include a provision for such nominations.

Meanwhile, DUN Speaker Dato Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, when asked to comment on the same matter, said it was up to the state government to decide.

-- Borneo Post