Demands for answers by DAP's second-tier leaders are growing after the party's MPs refused to support bloc voting during the first stage of the passage of the Supply (Budget) Bill 2021.
Bloc or division voting would entail every MP in the House having their votes recorded. All but two MPs - one each from DAP and PKR respectively - waived that right today.
Instead, they allowed the ruling Perikatan Nasional-BN-Gabungan Parti Sarawak alliance to overcome the first hurdle in the passage of the bill by means of a voice vote at the policy stage.
Soon after, DAP's Ayer Keroh assemblyperson Kerk Chee Yee and Subang Jaya assemblyperson Michelle Ng demanded an explanation.
Dyana Sofya, the former political secretary to DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, said that the opposition MPs should have at least tried.
"Why can't you stand up? If you lose, you lose. At least vote and try!" she posted on Twitter.
Lim's current political secretary Syahredzan Johan said he understood what happened but did not understand why it happened. Nevertheless, Syahredzan said that an explanation was in order.
Some of the DAP MPs are already facing a backlash from supporters online. Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii, for instance, explained that the decision not to support a request for bloc voting by Mahfuz Omar (Amanah-Pokok Sena) was a "leadership decision" and that the party will only pursue voting when the bill reaches the committee stage.
"Bandar Kuching will not support this budget and is prepared to debate further during the committee stage," he wrote on his Facebook page.
After the policy stage, the bill will have to go through the "committee stage" where the House will scrutinise the allocations for each ministry and where they will have the opportunity to call for bloc voting again.
DAP MPs contacted by Malaysiakini declined to go on record on what happened and there has been no official explanation.
Yii deleted some of those comments later.
"You go ask Port Dickson," one DAP MP told Malaysiakini, while others expressed similar sentiments.
The Port Dickson MP is PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.
Malaysiakini was not among the media organisations allowed into Parliament to cover the proceedings. However, from various video feeds and checks with MPs, it was clear that most DAP and PKR MPs did not support Mahfuz's request despite MPs from both parties vigorously participating in the debate before the vote was called.
The 13 MPs who supported bloc voting are Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Pejuang-Langkawi), Mukhriz Mahathir (Pejuang-Jerlun), Amiruddin Hamzah (Pejuang-Kubang Pasu), Shahruddin Md salleh (Pejuang-Sri Gading), Khalid Abdul Samad (Amanah-Shah Alam), Mahfuz Omar (Amanah-Pokok Sena), Dr Hatta Ramli (Amanah-Lumut), Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus (Amanah-Hulu Langat), Dzulkefly Ahmad (Amanah-Kuala Selangor), Hanipa Maidin (Amanah-Sepang), Baru Bian (PSB-Selangau), Mordi Bimol (DAP-Mas Gading) and Hassan Karim (PKR-Pasir Gudang).
When contacted, Mordi said he stood up to support Mahfuz's call for a bloc vote because he did not receive instructions from his party's leadership in time.
"I was not happy with certain parts of the bill," he said. - Mkini
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