ABSENT MPs FACE INTERNAL ACTION

They should be more serious in attending Parliamentary sessions, says DPM

INTERNAL action has been taken against Barisan Nasional members of parliament who failed to attend a Dewan Rakyat bloc voting session on the Supply Bill 2018 at the committee level for the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry in Parliament on Monday night.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he had taken action on a domestic level against those who were not present for the session.

The MPs absence caused BN to scrape through with a slim 52 votes against the opposition’s 51.

“I have taken action and advised them that they should be more serious in attending the (Dewan Rakyat) sessions,” said Zahid, who is also BN chief whip.

He was speaking on the sidelines of an announcement on a humanitarian mission for the Rohingya, endorsed by the government, here yesterday.

The opposition created a stir on Monday when they demanded a bloc voting after Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin had wrapped up the 2018 Budget debate for the ministry.

The proposal was made by G. Manivannan (PKR-Kapar) as opposition MPs had outnumbered those from BN at the time.

In the bloc voting, the bill was passed 52-51 in favour of BN, with Pas MPs abstaining from voting.

Opposition MPs argued that several BN MPs had entered the Dewan Rakyat late and their votes should not count.

In response, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said there was no provision in the standing orders that stated the time for MPs to be in the House during the voting process.

Zahid announced that a delegation of 14 MPs would be travelling to Bangladesh tomorrow to deliver 20 tonnes of basic items to the Rohingya at the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh.

The delegation, led by Ronald and assisted by Sri Gading MP Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi, will depart for Chittagong tomorrow and return to Malaysia on Sunday.

The trip is part of the Halal Industry Development Corporation’s corporate social responsibility initiative and the items have been provided by companies, including multinational companies, related to the halal industry. Additional reporting by Fernando Fong