NAJIB’S 1MDB SHENANIGANS SPARK LAST-MINUTE FIREWORKS IN PARLIAMENT

KUALA LUMPUR – (1MDB) and the Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) issues.

It began during a debate on the royal address when RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) claimed that 1MDB’s financial woes in the previous government’s administration under Datuk Seri Najib Razak (BN-Pekan) led to a lack of allocation to deal with various issues in Jelutong.

This caused Datuk Seri Ismail Mohamed Said (BN-Kuala Krau) to stand up and ask Rayer why the Penang government (under DAP) did not just dig into its “bountiful reserves” instead of asking for funds from the Federal government.

Datuk Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) then stood up to ask Rayer why he did not just ask for allocations from the current administration under Pakatan Harapan (PH).

With other MPs such as Ismail and Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN-Lenggong) trying intervene, Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming switched off their microphones.

Reminding them to not try intervene when the speaking MP has not given way, Nga then asked Rayer to continue.

However, trouble reared its ugly head again when Rayer held up two print copies of English daily The Star and pointed out a news article on the police purportedly netting over RM1 billion in loot from Najib’s residences.

Ismail, who was Deputy Speaker during the previous administration, demanded Rayer retract his statement per Standing Order 36 (6) because the matter involving the raid is still under investigation.

Nga then told Rayer to await an answer from the relevant minister.

Ismail told Nga that Rayer intended to cause malicious perception agsinst Najib by insinuating that the haul from the raid involved “the people’s money.”

“As a former Deputy Speaker (Ismail), (you should understand that) I have made my ruling. Make a motion (if you’re not satisfied with the ruling). Do not just shout from there. It does not look nice,” Nga said.

He noted that what was happening (trying to intervene when another MP was speaking) is not a good habit and that it amounted to stubborness, likening it to “udang di sebalik batu” (having a hidden agenda).

Towards the end of the session, Shamsul, who used to helm PTPTN, lambasted the present administration’s decision to defer loan repayments in relation to PTPTN.

– http://malaysiandigest.com