Tuesday 13 November 2007

Missing MPs!

14 questions have to be skipped because of missing MPs
At The Dewan RakyatReports by LEE YUK PENG, ZULKIFLI ABDUL RAHMAN AND ELIZABETH LOOI

MANY MPs, including executives, were absent from Parliament, forcing 14 of the 25 questions to be skipped.
This prompted Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib to urge the backbenchers and executives to be present if they knew their questions were in the Order Paper of the day.

Absenteeism was still high despite a reminder from Ramli two weeks ago when several MPs did not show up.
Ramli had then said those absent would have their names recorded.
All of those absent yesterday were from Barisan Nasional, except for Salahuddin Ayub (PAS – Kubang Kerian).
The ministries that were not represented were Defence and Foreign Affairs.
Finance Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya read out the answers from the Defence Ministry for question number 16, which was asked by Syed Hood Syed Edros (BN – Parit Sulong).
But when there was another question for the Defence Ministry, Natural Resources and Environment Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Sazmi Miah said written answers would be given.
When the question for the Foreign Ministry was called out, Youth and Sports Ministry parliamentary secretary S. Vigneswaran told the House that the answers would be given in a written reply.
Since all the questions had been called out and most of them were skipped, Abdul Fatah Harun (PAS – Rantau Panjang) requested for question number 11 that was earlier skipped to be answered.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz then rushed into the Dewan to answer the question.

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang stood up and asked how so many MPs could be absent, including ministries’ representatives.
“How can this be? The questions were submitted two months ago. Yang di-Pertua (Ramli) should reprimand those absent. What is the point of BN having nine over 10 majority? ” he said.
Last year, many MPs were absent during the Umno general assembly, including six who were not Umno members.

There were so many questions skipped that the proceedings went back to question one again.
During the debate, the proceedings were adjourned as three more MPs needed to be present to meet the quorum of 26.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The recent palimentary debates showed that one of our MP in the PM office describes the opposition as 'Short circuits' or 'Putiuh Wayar'. For his information (or if he still has a brain to think ?), well, at least now he indirectly acknowledged that the oppositions have a solid state circuitries in their mind to process data much faster and more reliable than him (who may still be using Vacuum tubes which is very unreliable and it's fuse can be blown anytime).

kopi O geng said...

Couldn't agree more with you! At least the opposition brains are working around the clock, unlike La La Land gang. Their brains are slowly rotten, and the wayar putus - Nazri is a clear evidence for that.