Najib Told To Show Up For Parliament While Two Pakatan MPs Get Thrown Out
Najib has not been attending Parliament sittings as often as the Opposition says he should.
By Mei Mei Chu — 18 Jun 2014, 11:32 AM — Updated over 10 years ago
The Prime Minister Of Malaysia Has Been Asked To Turn Up More Often In Parliament Sittings, Especially During Question Time
The Prime Minister Of Malaysia Has Been Asked To Turn Up More Often In Parliament Sittings, Especially During Question Time
Image via mole.myAn opposition MP will be initiating a petition to urge Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to turn up more often in Parliament, especially during question time. Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa (DAP) said today it was important for Najib to show up and chided him for being absent during parliamentary sessions.
According To DAP, Najib Has Attended A Total Of 2 Hours Of Sessions Since 2009. This Year, He Had Made Only Three Appearances.
He said that based on the attendance list, Najib had showed up for only three days so far this year. “According to official parliamentary records, the prime minister had attended an average of less than two hours of sessions since 2009, excluding his speeches such as when tabling Budget 2014,” said Er. “Therefore, I will be starting a petition to implore Najib to attend more parliamentary sessions. The petition will be handed out to all representatives.”
Er said that from 2009 to 2014, Parliament had been in session for 358 days but Najib was present for only 26 days.
Er Teck Hwa (DAP - Bakri) said this amounted to a mere 7% of the total 358 days Parliament had met since that time until April this year. He said with the exception of Najib's budget speech, the premier’s attendance does not amount to two hours on average, and he only answered an average of two questions at every sitting.
Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa Says Najib Is Abandoning His Duty As A Leader Of The House By Not Attending Parliamentary Sittings
He stressed that Najib has to change his attitude as it is his fundamental duty to attend the sessions. “Even schoolchildren are required to have proper attendance, what more the leader of our country.” He cited British Prime Minister Tony Blair who made it a point to attend Parliament every Wednesday for 30 minutes to answer six questions.
“This is not a ‘kopitiam’, it’s the highest legislative chambers in the nation. All the laws passed here will affect each and every citizen in the country,” he said. “Najib’s poor performance in Parliament has resulted in the dereliction of duty as a leader of the House,” Nga added.
Er Was About To Discuss This Issue During A Parliamentary Sitting But It Was Rejected By Parliament Secretary Datuk Roosme Hamza
Najib's dismal attendance was to be the thrust of Er’s adjournment speech this Thursday, but it was rejected by Parliament secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah who said that it was unrelated to the government's administration and that he could direct his query to the related ministers.
"By rejecting my speech with the excuse that it was unrelated to government matters gives an impression that the prime minister's absence is not something to be concerned about," he said.
Simultaneously, Two Pakatan MPs Were Expelled From Parliament On 17 June 2014
Two Pakatan MPs have been ordered out of the Parliament today by speaker Datuk Seri Pandikar Amin Mulia, after they insisted on tabling a petition to debate the Lynas plant issue. Pandikar ejected PKR’s Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh and Padang Serai MP N. Surendran, when both insisted, at different times, why he had rejected a petition filed on the Lynas' Temporary Operating License (TOL) from being read in the House today.
He did not indicate how long the duo are suspended, although a suspension could last several days. Surendran had just returned from a lengthy six-month suspension imposed on him in November.
Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh Was Asked To Leave For Asking Critical Questions About Lynas, While Bagan Serai MP N. Surendran Was Removed For Criticising The Speaker
Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said she was told by Tan Sri Pandikar Mulia Amin to leave the House for merely standing up to ask him to explain move to reject a petition to debate the safety of the Lynas rare earth plant in Kuantan. “I had only wanted to explain why the petition is important... but he said he was already satisfied with the explanation of the government and told me if I stand up I will be kicked out. So I stood up,” Fuziah told reporters outside the Dewan Rakyat.
themalaymailonline.com
Another PKR lawmaker, Bagan Serai MP N. Surendran alleged he was thrown out for his criticism against Pandikar yesterday. Surendran said the Speaker ordered him out of the House after he asked Pandikar if he was referring to the PKR vice-president in an earlier reprisal the latter made against detractors. “He said it was wrong for him to be criticised outside the House. This is wrong. This is a democracy and we have every right to question the Speaker’s conduct.
themalaymailonline.com