Barisan Nasional's Bandar Kuching member of parliament Song Swee Guan, 62 - who has been declared a bankrupt on May 8, 2003 by the Kuching High Court for failing to settle a RM300,000 debt to a businessman - is resigning today from his seat.

However, there will not be any by-election for the parliamentary seat as a general election is due next year.

Song, who is from the Chinese-based Sarawak United People's Party, told malaysiakini last night that he had sent a fax notifying parliamentary speaker Mohamad Zahir Ismail he was quitting following the announcement in Parliament yesterday on his bankruptcy status.

He said his resignation was to satisfy the requirements of the law as he had been adjudged a bankrupt "in order to preserve the sanctity and good name of Parliament."

Song added that a senior member of SUPP called on him last night and advise him to quit after the announcement concerning his status.

Deputy speaker Mohammad Abdullah confirmed Song's resignation this morning in Parliament.

Twice a bankrupt

The parliament was notified in May by the official assignee after the adjudication order had been made by the Kuching High Court last month.

Song was discharged as a bankrupt in 2000 but was again declared bankrupt this year.

House speaker Mohamad Zahir said yesterday any MP could submit a motion in Parliament to determine Song's fate.

He added that the motion would then be debated and voted on by the MPs. With Song's resignation, there is now no need to discuss the matter.

Parliament yesterday also approved an amendment to the Bankruptcy Act to increase the debts by three times to RM30,000 before a person could be adjudged a bankrupt if he failed to settle it.

In addition, all other recourse must be exhausted before any similar action could be taken against a borrower's guarantor.

Giant killer

Song, who is former Sarawak state assembly speaker and former Kuching City South mayor, was first elected to Parliament on a BN ticket as a SUPP candidate in 1995, unseating the three-term opposition member of parliament for Bandar Kuching Sim Kwang Yang.

Opposition DAP's Sim was then hailed as a giant killer when he defeated the then SUPP secretary-general Stephen Yong Kuet Tze in his maiden contest for the seat.

Song was the only Supp leader who succeeded to dislodge Sim after two failed attempts by SUPP candidates.

He was again re-elected in Bandar Kuching in the last parliamentary election in 1999.

Song had also served as state assemblyperson for Padungam for four terms from 1983 until the last state elections two years ago.

A bachelor, Song is an Australian graduate who first started his working career as an executive with a British-owned trading company The Borneo Company.

He resigned after a few years to take over his father's business and also to go into politics. His father, the late Song Thian Cheok, served at one time as chaiperson of the then Kuching Municipal Council and also as a member of the state assembly.