No action against KJ — Umno

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has reiterated that it will not take action against its former youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin for refusing to join the Opposition walkout over the Speaker’s appointment in Parliament on Monday (July 16).

Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said this to reporters when met at Parliament lobby yesterday.

“I think there’s no need (to take any action). There are no issues arising at all,” he added.

Annuar reiterated that Khairy may not have been aware about the staged walkout, as he wasn’t present during the pre-council meeting for Opposition parties consisting of Umno, MIC, MCA, PAS and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), which took place on Sunday (July 15).

On Monday, both Khairy and Anifah, who is Kimanis MP, remained seated even after Barisan Nasional and PAS MPs walked out of the Dewan Rakyat after Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof was sworn in as the Speaker for the 14th Parliament.

They claimed that the appointment process was not transparent and a point of order was raised by Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS-Kota Baru) when Dewan Rakyat secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah read out the motion proposing Mohamad Ariff as the sole candidate for the post of Speaker.

The Rembau MP said he decided not to join the walkout because he wanted to be an exemplary Opposition MP and to respect the swearing-in process. He added that a protest could be done in other ways.