KUALA LUMPUR – Several opposition MPs today took the Dewan Rakyat speaker’s office to task for limiting the time imposed on the winding-up speeches of each ministry, saying it is insufficient to address all issues that were raised.
R.S.N. Rayer (Jelutong-PH) was the first to raise this issue after National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique was given only 15 minutes to answer all questions that were posed to her by MPs during their debate on the royal address.
Similarly, he said other ministers – although some were given a longer period to speak – did not have enough time to address every question from the floor, and that this has also limited the lawmakers’ opportunity to ask supplementary questions.
“I believe more time is required to give the space and chance to MPs to interject and get further explanations,” he told Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon in Parliament today.
“I ask that you give a bit more time for questions. You are a considerate person, not like the speaker (Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun). Whenever he says no, it means no.”
Echoing Rayer’s request, Hannah Yeoh (Segambut-PH) pointed out how 16 ministries were given a single day yesterday to answer all the questions that were raised by lawmakers in the past four days of proceedings.
“If we look at the trend in which the ministers respond, they usually keep the sensitive issues to the end of their speech. By that time, the time for them to speak is already up.
“There’s no meaning if MPs are asked to debate for four days, but ministers only answer them in two. It is the speaker’s duty to make Parliament proceedings more meaningful.
“If it is (meaningful), I believe the attendance of MPs will also improve. Now, we have to wait until night, and sometimes, our questions are not answered. If we have to wait for a written reply, what’s the use of sitting in this Dewan?”
Other than the winding-up speeches by 16 ministers yesterday, 11 more ministers are set to speak today.
Rashid said the time allocated for each ministry is based on the number of questions directed at them, and that they will only respond to points that have been raised during the debates previously.
“Whichever ministries have more issues being raised, we will give them more time. Each minister knows how many questions are being asked.
“Yes, I admit two days is not enough, but we are limited by the number of days the current sitting has,” he said, adding that he will raise this issue for deliberation to ensure there is enough time for proper debates and answers in the future. – The Vibes, September 23, 2021
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