KUALA LUMPUR — Minister Fahmi Fadzil slammed Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and his Perikatan Nasional (PN) colleagues Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang for their absence from Parliament this morning.
The communications and digital minister said the Prime Minister’s Question and Answer (PMQ) session scheduled today would be the best opportunity for Opposition MPs to solicit answers from Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof will be alongside him,” he wrote on social media, referring to the deputy prime ministers.
This was not the first time the trio were absent from the session.
The PMQ was first introduced in Dewan Rakyat in this sitting, and has been held since February.
Anwar is scheduled to respond to questions regarding liquid products used in electronic cigarettes or vape, as well as on the service of medical contract officers today, the last day sitting of the Dewan Rakyat for this session.
According to the Order Paper on the official Parliament website, the question about vape, regarding the government’s justification for removing liquid and gel nicotine products used in electronic cigarettes from the Poisons Act 1952 will be raised by Datuk Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PN-Kuala Langat).
The matter about contract medical officers will be raised through a question by Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (PH-Tuaran). Meanwhile, Fong Kui Lun (PH-Bukit Bintang) wants the prime minister to state the positive outcome of his maiden visit to China recently in terms of economy and investment opportunities, as well as the benefits for Malaysians. MM
Wan Saiful defends PN top leaders’ absence from Parliament
Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan has taken a swipe at Digital and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil over criticisms against the absence of top Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders in Parliament, particularly during the Prime Minister’s Question Time (PMQT) every Tuesday.
Defending the absence of opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, Wan Saiful said improvements must be made to the PMQT, including on questions that can be asked.
“Actually, during PMQT, only the MP called by the speaker can stand to ask a question. The rest will not be allowed to interject.
“Speaker will also only allow one supplementary question from the original MP and one more additional question from the opposing bench,” said Wan Saiful in a Facebook post.
“That means, if it was my turn to ask the initial question, I have one more supplementary question and then another government MP can ask a question. That’s all.
“How good would it be if this session is improved to be like Westminster’s PMQT where the opposition leader is given a slot to question the prime minister?”
‘Wrong perception’
Earlier, Fahmi took a jab at the absent leaders as he uploaded a photograph of their empty chairs in the august House, saying it was a shame they were not around to face Anwar during the question time.
In response, Wan Saiful accused Fahmi of creating a “wrong perception” as he argued the current format means the leaders will still have no opportunity to question Anwar even if they were present.
“Don’t give the impression as if during the PMQT, the opposition leader or party leaders can ask questions. They can’t.
“Don’t create a wrong perception,” he stressed.
Wan Saiful also claimed Anwar failed to give satisfactory answers to questions posed, with lengthy but empty responses.
“The focus should be on the quality of answers from the prime minister.
“If the answers given are of low quality, then, of course, there will be low interest to listen,” he claimed.
Just before the 15th general election last November, Malaysiakini pointed to the poor attendance rate in the Dewan Rakyat of Muhyiddin, Hadi, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and Warisan president Shafie Apdal.
It was reported that in the five sessions of the Dewan Rakyat from July 2021 to March 2022, Hadi attended 21 out of the 71 days, Shafie only showed up on 20 days, Muhyiddin attended 17, and Mahathir was present for 26. MKINI
THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT / MALAY MAIL / MKINI
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