KUALA LUMPUR – The opposition bench today erupted in more shouting after their pleas to extend the Dewan Rakyat sitting today was rejected by Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon (Batu Pahat-BN).
Rashid, who was overseeing the House, told Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba to start his winding-up speech at around 4.50pm, as several MPs requested to be given the opportunity to air their views.
The deputy speaker, however, ignored these calls, triggering lawmakers to shout him down.
Khalid Abdul Samad (Shah Alam-PH) said under the previous Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan governments, some sittings even went into the wee hours, as lawmakers discussed matters of public interest.
Despite currently being in a health pandemic, he said it is bemusing that Rashid refuses to extend today’s sitting beyond 5.30pm.
“Under BN and PH, sometimes we sat until midnight or 3am. That was when there was no emergency or pandemic. Now, the rakyat is watching and they want solutions to the problems we are facing.
“So why, despite being in a very desperate situation, are you insistent about ending at 5.30pm? I don’t understand. Can you please explain?”
Rashid responded that the emergency situation is the very reason why MPs cannot sit for longer, which Khalid countered by saying that it is the decree by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for MPs to look for solutions to the health crisis.
Teo Nie Ching (Kulai-PH) questioned if Dr Adham is unable to work beyond 5.30pm, while Cha Kee Chin (Rasah-PH) took a dig at Rashid, asking if he needed to leave early to eat durian.
This is in reference to him allegedly attending a durian feast recently, which happened to breach the government’s Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) on public gatherings.
“Don’t do this, speaker. This is not about durian feasting. If you want to leave first, then just let us proceed ourselves. Don’t tell me we will die if we extend the sitting by two hours.”
Hannah Yeoh (Segambut-PH) similarly urged Rashid to extend today’s sitting, noting the importance of discussing the issue of pandemic.
“If the cabinet can meet until 1am because of politics, why can’t we extend Parliament for Covid-19. There are a lot of SOP issues that need to be raised. I know you (Rashid) are not one who cares for SOPs.
“The law minister (Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan) is here (to make an extension). The deputy prime minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob) is here too, for what?”
Rashid added that there has not been any motions forwarded to him formally to extend today’s sitting beyond 5.30pm, and proceeded to tell Dr Adham to continue with his winding-up speech. – The Vibes, July 27, 2021
