KUALA LUMPUR – As Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz stood up to present his Budget 2022 wind-up in the Dewan Rakyat this evening, little did he know that an uproar from the opposition aisle was going to make his task harder.
The finance minister was finishing his explanation concerning an additional allocation of RM10 million for the National Audit Department when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Langkawi–Pejuang) stood up to present an explosive revelation.
“The Finance Ministry is tasked with explaining all items in the national annual budget.
“Now there is one item not mentioned in Budget 2022, with regard to a gift to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“There are plans to gift the Pekan MP with property and a house worth RM100 million for his contributions to the country,” Mahathir, 96, told the House.
Going further, he questioned Tengku Zafrul over what contributions Najib, who was prime minister from 2009 to 2018, had offered to the country.
Labelling Najib as a convict, in reference to him being convicted in court over charges linked to the 1MDB scandal, Mahathir warned that future prime ministers would be encouraged to misappropriate funds as they would get money in return from the government at a later stage.
“This gift is worth RM100 million – RM60 million for the land and RM40 million to develop a house for this convict.
“Maybe the house will be designed like a prison,” he said in sarcasm.
Tengku Zafrul, however, sidestepped the question by saying that the query is best presented to the Prime Minister’s Department given that the matter falls under the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980.
Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muar-Independent) then joined in to quiz on the issue. Tengku Zafrul pointed out that the cabinet did receive an application from Najib regarding the RM100 million, and the matter is awaiting finalisation from Putrajaya.
Datuk Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena-PH) then took the opportunity to query the minister if an early agreement has been reached, which prompted Tengku Zafrul to smile.
“When you smiled as I asked the question, I assume there is an early agreement to support this decision to gift an ex-prime minister who ruined our country,” Mahfuz said.
Seemingly annoyed, Tengku Zafrul argued that Najib’s application was obtained after the presentation of Budget 2022.
In the event the application is approved, he said, a supplementary bill must be presented to the Dewan Rakyat.
As inaudible shouting intensified across the opposition’s bench, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun took over from his deputy Datuk Rashid Hasnon, who had been presiding.
In an attempt to quieten the Dewan Rakyat, an apparently vexed Azhar shouted “sit down” and ordered RSN Rayer (Jelutong-PH) to leave the hall for 10 minutes.
“Please, this is the time for the finance minister to address the Budget 2022 debates.
“He has answered questions many times and this issue is not in the budget. So this is not the forum,” Azhar said.
Later, Chang Lih Kang (Tg Malim-PH) pointed out to Azhar that MPs are allowed to intervene during a minister’s speech, which prompted the speaker to break parliamentary decorum by referring to the PKR lawmaker as “kamu (you)” instead of “Yang Berhormat (the honourable) Tg Malim”.
“You want to teach me the rules?
“I have already made a ruling on the matter. This has nothing to with Budget 2022,” Azhar said. – The Vibes, November 18, 2021
