News

Storm In a Teacup, Parliament Sittings Run Smoothly After First Day Chaos

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — The first day was full of drama – from the motion to vacate the post of Speaker, the new appointment to the post and that of Deputy Speaker, to the issue of ‘dark’ and ‘powder’ – which heated up the Dewan Rakyat sitting.

It turned out to be a ‘storm-in-a-teacup’ when the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government under the leadership of  Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin obtained majority votes to pass the motion brought by the Prime Minister.

The opposition members protested against the motion but it was finally passed when bloc voting saw 111 Members of Parliament (MPs) supporting it, 109 opposed while one was absent and another abstained.

Despite the narrow majority, the results showed that Muhyiddin had sufficient support from the MPs.

The appointment of Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said as Deputy Speaker was also historic for the nation as she was the first woman to occupy the seat.

Perhaps because it has been a while since the Parliamentarians debated as the Dewan Rakyat sat for only one day in May due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the MPs, both in the opposition and government blocks, were clambering to give their views.

Maybe it was a test of Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun’s capabilities as Speaker after he replaced Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, that the MPs grabbed at any topic to lash out at each other, resulting in the session being adjourned two hours earlier than usual.

However, despite the chaos which saw Khalid Abdul Samad (PH-Shah Alam) being escorted out until the end of the first day, the sitting passed the motion to appoint six members of the Select Committee for the 14th Parliament.

They were International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, Bagan Datuk MP Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Marang MP Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and Port Dickson MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

With the country still under threat of COVID-19, the parliament sitting was conducted within the new normal, complying with the tight standard operating procedure, including social distancing of MP’s seats, resulting in some of them being placed in the seats for officials.

However, the storm lasted only a day and the stern but fair stands of both Azhar and Azalina in making decisions while conducting the sittings on the following days won over both the government and opposition MPs.

“It is easy when we have an intelligent Speaker,” said Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (PH-Sepang) when Azhar made a ruling which favored him during the debate on the motion of thanks to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Thursday.

The chaos on the first day aside, the sittings on subsequent days went smoothly even though words like “backdoor government” and “palace door government” were used by the opposition members in their speeches amidst protests from the government block.

The debate on the first four days focused on the issue of stateless children especially in Sabah and Sarawak; amendments to the Road Transport Act which will provide for a heavier penalty imposed on drivers under the influence of alcohol who cause fatal road accidents; the 15th General Election; and the financial standing of the Pilgrims Fund Board (TH).

Also discussed was whether there was a need to hold the 15th General Election.

This Monday, the Dewan Rakyat will resume with the MPs continuing their debate on the Royal Address.

Sources: BERNAMA

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

Toshiba Turns 95 with a Giant Fridge, Big Vibes & A Spot in the Malaysia Book of Records

Who says anniversaries are just cake and candles? For Toshiba’s 95th Anniversary Dealer Convention, it… Read More

1 day ago

Resorts World Sentosa’s Singapore Oceanarium Introduces New Experiences As Ticket Sales Go Live

Resorts World Sentosa (RWS, 圣淘沙名胜世界) has announced that ticket sales have launched for Singapore Oceanarium… Read More

1 day ago

Barista Brews at Prices You Won’t Believe Exist

Think handcrafted coffee always comes with a hefty price tag? Think again. Across Malaysia, cafés… Read More

1 day ago

POCO Introduces POCO F7: Where Futuristic Design Meets Exceptional Power

POCO, a leading technology brand among young tech enthusiasts, today unveiled POCO F7, setting a… Read More

1 day ago

Proton Owners Hit the Road for Wellness: AG Autoworld x Herbal Farmer Flag Off First-Ever Fun Drive in Johor

What do you get when you mix wellness, good vibes, and 30 Proton cars? A… Read More

1 day ago

OMSMC Earns Spot in Newsweek’s Global Hospital Rating 2025

Oriental Melaka Straits Medical Centre (OMSMC) has been listed in Newsweek’s Global Hospital Rating 2025,… Read More

1 day ago

This website uses cookies.