KUCHING: A motion to amend the Sarawak Legislative Assembly's Standing Orders will be tabled on November 12 to ensure the accuracy of information referenced during Sarawak Legislative Assembly proceedings.

According to Sarawak Legislative Assembly Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, the amendment is necessary as the current Standing Order is outdated and no longer adequate to address contemporary challenges.

"The current Standing Orders are out of date and inadequate to face present and current challenges.

"So, it requires amendments. The amendments is made so that anyone who ask questions or make statements, to verify statements or allegations of comments, in newspapers, online news portals, social medias and other online platforms, or of private individuals or bodies, whether they are accurate or truthful."

He said this in a press conference after a meeting held in conjunction with the upcoming Sarawak Legislative Assembly Sitting at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Headquarters on Saturday.

The meeting was chaired by Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg.

Also present were Sarawak Deputy Premiers, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah and Datuk Amar Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak Cabinet Ministers, Sarawak Secretary, Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Sarawak Deputy Ministers, Sarawak Attorney General, Dato Sri Saferi Ali, Deputy Speaker of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly, Dato Idris Buang, and other dignitaries.

Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia added that this amendment will also needs to clarify the definition of social media, which until now, does not have a clear definition.

"There must be veracity to the information or allegation made, as well as truth to the source of that allegation or statement made.

"Also, the amendment will seek to define what is social media, because at the moment, there is no definition."

The motion for amendment will be presented by Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts and Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and seconded by Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapa'ee.-UKASnews