Bukit Gantang MP: I did not support price hike in petrol

ONE of two PAS MPs who abstained during a bloc vote on the Budget 2018 allocation for the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) has denied accusations that he supported the price hike in petrol and other items.

At the policy stage of debates on Nov 13, Bukit Gantang MP Idris Ahmad said a decision was made among PAS MPs to abstain from voting.

However, they received no instructions at the committee stage, leaving them to decide as they wished.

So, Idris chose to abstain once again.

“I respect Pakatan Harapan’s decision to call for a bloc vote but don’t slander us,” Idris said in a Facebook status yesterday.

Idris and Rantau Panjang MP Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff chose to abstain from a bloc vote called for on Monday night.

The ministry’s allocation was passed by a razor-thin difference of one vote with 52 MPs voting for it.

Chaos ensued when some Opposition lawmakers alleged that several Barisan Nasional MPs entered the Dewan after the bell had been rung.

They claimed that the voting list had already been handed over to the sergeant-at-arms (Bentara) but was taken back when the few MPs entered the Dewan, and casting their votes.

Asked about the other six PAS MPs who voted against the allocation in Parliament, Idris said they might have been caught by surprise as there had been no discussions on the matter when it came to a bloc vote.

The six MPs were Datuk Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena), Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (Bachok), Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli (Dungun), Datuk Nik Mazian Nik Mohamad (Pasir Puteh), Dr Izani Husin (Pengkalan Chepa) and Ahmad Baihaki Atiqullah (Kubang Kerian).

When met by reporters here yesterday, Nik Mazian said they voted in accordance to their conscience.

“We did not have a consensus on this beforehand.

“We are against the price increases, and since KPDNKK was the ministry in charge of price control, we voted against it to show our displeasure,” he said.