Azhar mulling request to let ministers speak during question time

 

Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun says he will discuss with the party whips a request for ministers to answer questions directly in Parliament. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun will consider a request for ministers to reply to questions orally during the Ministers’ Question Time on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Before this, Azhar had ruled that the ministers’ replies would be uploaded to the Parliament website, after Dewan Rakyat sittings were cut short to four hours to limit the risk of Covid-19 infections.

In the Dewan Rakyat today, Azhar, responding to a request from Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka), said he will discuss the matter with the respective political party whips.

Khoo had said the public would like to hear replies from ministers, especially on matters affecting the people.

“Now the questions (for the ministers) are read without replies. The speaker could consider allowing the ministers to reply the questions in one or one-and-half minutes, at least,” he said.

Ministers’ Question Time was first introduced in 2016, allowing MPs to pose questions to ministers on current issues. - FMT