KUALA LUMPUR – Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun has requested RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) to write a letter on Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing’s (Bintulu-PDP) remark disparaging Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
The request came after Rayer today said Tiong had allegedly misled the House when the latter’s remarks that Noor Hisham never visited Sabah and was afraid of dying were refuted by the director-general himself.
“On 36 (12), what happened was a debate on facts. His honourable Bintulu said Noor Hisham didn’t go to Sabah but the director-general said he went to Sabah. That is a factual argument and we can’t resolve it here.
“Can I ask his honourable (Jelutong) to write to me so I can ask his honourable Bintulu what he meant when he said that,” said Azhar, popularly known as Art Harun.
On November 11, Tiong had triggered an uproar in the Dewan Rakyat after he accused Noor Hisham of being afraid of dying and that the latter had never gone to the ground in Sabah.
During the fracas, Rayer was ejected by Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said after refusing to sit down while demanding Tiong’s apology for attacking the director-general.
Azalina had allowed the backbencher to walk away after making his allegations.
Noor Hisham refuted Tiong’s allegations in a press conference later that day. On Sunday, Tiong issued a statement apologising to Noor Hisham.
Today, Azhar gave in the Dewan Rakyat his reason for rejecting Rayer’s motion to reconsider the decision made by Azalina.
“The reason I had to reject the motion was not because of merit, but because it is procedural. His honourable Jelutong asked me to reconsider the decision made by the deputy speaker. However, under Standing Order 43, I do not have the power to do so.
“The power to reconsider and study the decision made by the speaker or the deputy speaker is in the council meetings, not me. That’s why I had to reject the motion. It’s because of technicality and not merit,” said Azhar. – The Vibes, November 17, 2020
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