Make absent MPs remember where Parliament is

 

YOURSAY | 'Elected office not a pension scheme or title for prestige; it’s a duty.'

Activist launches Parliament petition to act against absent MPs

PinkJaguar7289: If Parliament is serious about ending the culture of “ponteng”, it should stop treating absenteeism as a minor embarrassment and start treating it as a breach of public trust.

A credible reform package would include mandatory publication of every MP’s attendance, voting and debate record, automatic salary or allowance cuts for repeated unexcused absences, suspension from committees, and a much shorter trigger for declaring a seat vacant instead of waiting six months.

The UK has shown that stronger action is possible: MPs can be suspended, lose their salary, and even face a recall petition that may cost them their seat.

Malaysia need not copy every detail, but it should learn the principle - elected office is not a pension scheme or a title for prestige; it is a duty, and those who repeatedly neglect it should face consequences severe enough to restore respect for Parliament.

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READ MORE: How much pension can MPs receive?

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Pink: What a waste of time (to petition on MP absenteeism). MPs’ performance should not be judged by how often they attend Parliament, but by how well they connect with and serve their constituencies.

I would rather they attend only for crucial votes. That alone could save public money.

Every attendance comes with travel claims, daily allowances, and hotel stays - often in five-star hotels. These can run into tens of thousands of ringgit. Yet what do we get from them?

Some simply register their presence, then disappear to the cafeteria or fall asleep during debates.

Even when they speak, the quality of debate is often shallow, self-promoting, and at times divisive.

Many speak in broken Bahasa Malaysia. Parliament is treated like a stage: refusing to wear a songkok just to attract attention, or using crude language to project bravado.

One has to ask - how often do we actually hear thoughtful, intelligent debates from figures like Jelutong MP RSN Rayer, Hulu Langat MP Sany Hamzan, or Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu?

Whether they attend or not makes little difference to me.

Frankly, I would rather they spend time at weddings, funerals, and school events in their constituencies.

At least then we could get something from their pockets - and perhaps even contribute something useful like donations for jerseys for a village football team.

That said, I do respect certain MPs such as MCA president Wee Ka Siong (Ayer Hitam), Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and even Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

They may have their personal issues, but they are articulate and have demonstrated capability in government. Those qualities are not developed merely by attending Parliament.

EmEmKay: Dear activist Roshinee Mookaiah,

Your citizen-driven political advocacy project to keep absent MPs accountable is both courageous and necessary.

At a time when many feel powerless seeing MPs enjoy allowances and perks while remaining absent from Parliament, you chose to act rather than stay silent.

By launching your petition and pushing this issue into the public eye, you’ve shown how one determined citizen can challenge complacency and demand higher standards from our elected representatives.

Thank you for standing up for accountability, integrity, and a Parliament that truly serves the people. Your work inspires others to believe that their voice matters too.

Thana55: Brilliant initiative. The winds of change are blowing. Making parliamentarians more accountable has to be the top priority for democracy to walk its talk.

Life-long pensions and allowances for these MPs doing zilch for the rakyat.

Of the 222 MPs, less than 10 percent actually seem to be doing the people's work. Time to rid the laggards. Go Roshinee go!

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READ MORE: Allowances and perks: How much do MPs, speakers and deputy speakers get?

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Vote4changejohor: Kudos to Roshinee for taking up the issue of absenteeism during Parliament's sittings and voting session.

This is probably the main reason why the bill to limit the prime minister’s term failed to go through this year.

Many citizens hope this will not happen again and that MPs should take their attendance and voting during Parliament sessions seriously.

GraySalmon8323: Wholeheartedly welcome this citizen participation initiative.

Most parliamentarians are a disgraceful and disappointing lot. They sit in the legislative arm of the government, and most of us wonder if they are even fit for purpose.

In a private organisation, such absentism necessitates sacking and then blacklisting.

We are not even talking about their intellectual capabilities, contributions and engagements in parliamentary debates.

Drkam: She’s on a mission to chase down our “ponteng” MPs - not with drama, but with paperwork.

Basically, don’t just complain, file the proper parliamentary petition, show people how it’s done, and maybe, just maybe, make those missing MPs suddenly remember where Parliament is.

Spinnot: The MPs will say they are working from home to save petrol and reduce traffic jams. - Mkini