KUALA LUMPUR – The three parliamentarians accused of breaking their home surveillance orders to attend yesterday’s voting session in Dewan Rakyat did not violate any standard operating procedures (SOPs), said Senior Minister (Defence) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He added that the government has allowed those placed under quarantine to be accorded their rights.
“For example, in the Sabah election, we allowed voters to vote even though they were quarantined. Actually, they (voters) tested negative (for Covid-19). But if they were positive, we would not allow it because they would be sent to hospitals,” he told his daily press briefing this evening.
He said two of the three MPs were close contacts of a Covid-19 patient and had been asked to observe home quarantine for 14 days, but later tested negative.
“The right to vote in Parliament is upheld in the (federal) constitution. They have a right to be allowed to vote in Parliament.
“Their physical presence in Parliament is needed in order for them to vote. It cannot be done online and so, that is why we (government) gave them the permission to exercise their rights.”
He added that the voters in Sabah were given designated quarantine spots to cast their votes.
Similarly, the same was done in Parliament, involving the three MPs, he added.
Ismail Sabri said the same principle applies to family members accompanying their deceased loved ones for burials during the movement control order.
“We allowed it, but they had to wear full PPE suits.”
Earlier today, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun had said the three lawmakers obtained approval from Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Responding to a question by opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PH-Port Dickson) on the sudden attendance of the three MPs yesterday, Azhar said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba (BN-Tenggara), Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan (BN-Tapah) and P. Prabakaran (PH-Batu), who were given time off from their 10-day home surveillance orders to attend the voting session.
The presence of the three led to a walkout by a number of opposition MPs who expressed unhappiness that the trio were in the House, raising the risk of infection.
Azhar said the trio were escorted in an ambulance and wearing PPE while in Parliament, which were among the conditions that allowed their attendance. – The Vibes, December 15, 2020
