The Third Meeting of the First Session of the 15th Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak (DUN) was held from 28 October to 5 November 2002. Six Bills were introduced and passed by DUN during the meeting. Of these six Bills, three were new Bills while the rest were amendment Bills. The Bills were as follows:

1. Members of the Administration and Members of Dewan Undangan Negeri (Remuneration, Pensions and Gratuities)(Amendment) Bill, 2002;

2. Civil List (Amendment of Schedule) Bill, 2002;

3. Supply (2003) Bill, 2002;

4. Housing Development Corporation Bill, 2002;

5. Adoption (Amendment) Bill, 2002: and

6. State Anthem and Emblems Bill, 2002

The Members of the Administration and Members of Dewan Undangan Negeri (Remuneration, Pensions and Gratuities) (Amendment) Bill, 2002 was an amendment Bill. It was presented by the Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Finance and Public Utilities, the Hon. Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. George Chan and was passed on 28 October 2002.

The amendments involved section 3, section 5, section 6(3) and the First Schedule, namely regulation 3(1) and regulation 20(1) of the principal Ordinance (Ordinance No. 9 of 1980).

The amendment to section 3 revised the remuneration of Members of DUN from RM3,000.00 to RM4,500.00. The amendments to sections 5 and 6 allow payment of special performance payment or bonus and other allowances to be paid to Members of the Administration, DUN and Speaker and Deputy Speaker ("members" ).

The proviso to Regulation 3(1) was deleted to allow pension to be granted to any person who ceased to be a member before attaining the age of 50. Under the current regulation 3(1) pension is only granted to a person who ceased to be a member if he or she has attained the age of 50.

The amendment to regulation 20(1) was to clarify any ambiguity on the interpretation of the regulation with regard to the upward revision of pension if and when any upward revision of members' remuneration occurs.

Under the amended regulation 20(1) an upward revision of pension would require a directive from TYT Yang di-Pertua Negeri. The amendments have now become law and will take effect from 1 January 2003.

The Civil List (Amendment of Schedule) Bill, 2002, was an amendment Bill. It was presented by the Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Rural and Land Development, the Hon. Tan Sri Datuk Amar (Dr.) Alfred Jabu Ak. Numpang and was passed on 28 October 2002.

The amendment revised the Privy Purse, namely the annual salary and allowance of TYT Yang di-Pertua Negeri. The proposed revision was in line with the 15% upward revision of salaries and allowances for Rulers and Yang di-Pertua Negeri of the other States in the Federation of Malaysia.

The TYT Yang di-Pertua Negeri's salary was revised from RM187,200.00 to RM215,280.00 per annum, whilst the allowance was revised from RM 132,600.00 to RM152,490 per annum. The amendments will take effect from 1 January 2003.

The Supply (2003) Bill, 2002 was a new Bill and was introduced by the Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Finance and Public Utilities, the Hon. Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. George Chan Hong Nam. The Bill was passed by DUN on 5 November 2002.

The Supply Bill was one of the most important Bills of the meeting. A meeting where a Supply Bill is introduced is commonly referred to as the "Budget Session" because the main purpose of convoking the meeting is to get DUN's approval of the government expenditure and revenue collection during the following financial year. Without DUN approval no expenditure could be expended and no revenue, e.g. fees, taxes, royalty, etc., could be collected by the government during the following year.

The Supply (2003) Bill, was keenly debated at the second reading stage. Almost all the members (i.e. the Backbenchers) participated in the debate. The budget debate was also an opportunity for the Backbenchers to raise any constituency issue or any other issue and to question the executive branch of the government on anything, provided the issue or question so raised did not touch on seditious matter.

The Right Hon. Chief Minister and all the other Ministers, including an Assistant Minister, Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, also participated in the debate when they made their replies to the issues and questions raised by the backbenchers or explained the policies of their respective ministry. The replies by the Ministers are sometimes referred to as "Winding-up Speeches".

DUN approved RM3,497,860,530.00 for Operating and Development Expenditure for the year 2003. Of the amount, RM1,252,697,100.00, or 37%, for Operating Expenditure and RM 2,245,163,430.00, or 63%, for Development Expenditure. The approved budget would incur a moderate deficit of RM122 million, which is 5% of the estimated revenue for 2003. The government total projected revenue for 2003 was RM2.448,468,000.00.

The Ordinary Expenditure for the year 2003 was estimated at RM2.570, 697,100. Of this amount, RM138,428,900 would be Charged Expenditure and RM2,432,268,200.00 would be Supply Expenditure.

The Housing Development Corporation Bill, 2002 was a new Bill introduced by the Minister of Housing, the Hon. Datuk Michael Manyin Jawong and was passed on 29 October 2002. The main purpose of the Bill was to implement the National Housing Policy, which had been adopted by the State government, to provide adequate affordable houses and other related facilities and amenities to those in the low-income groups.

Having adopted the National Housing Policy, the State further enhanced the policy by planning to provide basic social services, recreational facilities, economic activities and other amenities. The first effect of the law, upon coming into force, would be the establishment of a Housing Development Corporation, which would take over the functions, responsibilities, duties and liabilities of the Housing and Development Commission. Thus, by implication the Commission would be abolished through a reorganisation and restructuring exercise.

The Adoption (Amendment) Bill, 2002 was introduced by the Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation, the Hon. Dato Sri Dr. James Jemut Masing and was passed on 29 October 2002. The main features of the Bill, among others, were to clearly define certain statutory terms in the Ordinance; to improve the procedure and condition of adoption; to provide provisions for further adoption, offences and penalties for false statement; and to provide greater powers to District Officers, as Registrars, in determining and processing applications for adoptions.

The State Anthem and Emblems Bill, 2002 was a new Bill introduced by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries, the Hon. Dato Sri Haji Adenan Haji Satem and was passed on 29 October 2002. This Bill sought to provide a legal basis for the State Anthem and to regulate the reproduction and playing of the State Anthem.

The Bill also sought to prohibit the improper use and display of certain State emblems and names as specified in the First Schedule, particularly for professional and commercial usage of certain State emblems and names.

It also proposed to provide power to the State Secretary to grant permission for the usage of certain State emblems and names. The Bill also proposed provisions for offences and penalties for improper disrespect towards and unauthorised reproduction of the State Anthem, and the improper use of certain State emblems and names.

During the last meeting DUN held two elections of senators in accordance with Article 45 (1)(a) of the Federal Constitution. The elections were to fill the vacancies upon expiry of the term of offices of Senator Y.B. Tuan Haji Abdillah Bin Abdul Rahim and Senator Y.B. Encik Benedict Bujang Tembak on 16 September 2002. Tuan Haji Abdillah Bin Haji Rahim had served the maximum two terms (a full term is a period of 3 years), whilst Encik Benedict Bujang Tembak had served for a term.

Y.Bhg Datuk Haji Mohammad Taha Bin Ariffin, as he was then, was nominated and elected (unopposed) to fill the vacancy upon the retirement of Senator Tuan Haji Abdillah Bin Haji Rahim. Dato Sri Haji Adenan Haji Satem, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries, proposed the nomination of Y.Bhg Datuk Haji Mohammad Taha Bin Ariffin for the election. The nomination was seconded by Y.B. Encik Joseph Entulu Belaun, the Assistant Minister in the Chief minister Office (Youth Affairs).

Y.B. Encik Benedict Bujang Tembak was proposed and nominated for the second time and was elected (unopposed) for another term of office. Y.B. Encik Francis Harden Hollis, the Assistant Minister of Agriculture proposed the nomination Y.B. Encik Benedict Bujang Tembak for the election. Y.B. Encik Mong Dagang seconded the nomination.