KUALA LUMPUR – Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Port Dickson-PH) has taken the government to task after a question addressed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on the costs of living that he submitted to Parliament was rejected.
His question was meant to be part of the Ministers’ Question Time, which was the first order of today’s business.
Addressing the House later during the question-and-answer session, Anwar lamented that his original question was dropped as Ismail Sabri was not able to attend Parliament today.
He said the excuse makes no sense as other key ministers involved in addressing issues of cost of living could have taken the prime minister’s place instead.
“There are four or five ministries that could have answered. This issue of cost of living is the most pertinent issue concerning the rakyat.
“I don’t think this is acceptable,” he said today.
Anwar was instead allowed to take part in the question-and-answer session, where he posed queries about the government’s preparation for the year-end monsoon season and flooding.
“I welcome the decision to allow me to ask about the floods. But what I would like to stress is my original question on cost of living.
“I understand the prime minister cannot answer. But we have the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry, and Communications and Multimedia Ministry, among others, who could have answered.”
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun then explained that the decision to not include Anwar’s question meant for MQT in today’s proceedings was because it was only submitted yesterday.
“I understand that the prime minister couldn’t answer the question. Perhaps, if you want, you could submit the same question again, with a longer notice period,” he said.
Flood weaknesses ironed out
Meanwhile, in responding to Anwar’s question on flood readiness, Special Functions Minister Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad said following criticisms of the slow response to last December's flooding, the government has upped its preparations in facing the coming northeast monsoon.
He noted that one of the main weaknesses during last year's floods was communications between agencies and the public in the issuance of warnings and updates.
“We have strengthened our engagement with various agencies to ensure warning broadcasts to the public can be improved,” Latiff said.
Anwar, however, pointed out that many core issues have yet to be addressed, including clean-up works in several flood-affected areas from last year.
Additionally, he noted that issues of logging, which he said is one of the main contributing factors to flooding, continue to be rampant.
“I don’t care which ministry, just sort this issue out. Make proper preparations to avoid a repeat of the same problem, which only burdens the rakyat, costs lives, and brings losses, particularly among the poor.
“What action will be taken to stop logging? I understand it is the state's prerogative. But when losses have to be borne by the federal government, then it’s not right to say that logging is exclusively a state matter.
“If a state violates the law and continues logging activities, which subsequently affects the rakyat, the federal government must act.”
In response, Latiff said that Anwar’s proposal was a good one, adding that an executive committee chaired by the chief secretary to the government had been established following the December floods.
“Perhaps Port Dickson can provide the full details to me later, so I can iron it out with the chief secretary to the government,” he said. – The Vibes, August 2, 2022
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