KUALA LUMPUR – Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun today slammed the “hypocrisy” of certain lawmakers raising a fuss over the decision to limit the number of MPs in the hall to 80, saying many of them have been skipping proceedings.
The absence of MPs has, on a number of occasions, led to sittings being halted due to a lack of quorum, he said.
“The quorum for the Dewan Rakyat is 26, this is in the Standing Orders. We are now limiting the maximum number (in the hall) to 80 MPs. It’s not that we are preventing lawmakers from debating, everyone can still debate.
“But every day, we don’t see 222 MPs during proceedings. At most, there are only between 100 and 120, and they are not even here from 10am to 5.30pm. They would come and leave.
“In fact, sometimes, there is even a lack of quorum at 2pm (after the lunch break). And now, when we decided in consensus to limit the number of MPs to 80, suddenly, it became a big issue.”
Azhar was responding to Hassan Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang), who said it is against Articles 96 and 97 of the constitution to bar lawmakers from the Dewan Rakyat when the Budget is being debated.
This is after the speaker last week ruled that only 80 MPs are permitted in the House at any one time, so as to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Azhar said there is no mention that all MPs are required to be in the chamber all the time, noting that Article 96 only states that no tax shall be levied unless authorised by law, while Article 97 focuses on consolidated funds under the Finance Ministry.
He added that the decision to limit the number of MPs was made following advice from the Health Ministry and after party whips reached a consensus on the matter.
“Let us all repay the hard work of Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and the frontliners who have been working tirelessly day and night for seven months to control the pandemic.
“We should be giving them our full confidence and cooperation. So please, I ask that we continue with our Budget debate today.” – The Vibes, November 9, 2020
