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PARLIAMENT | Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo submitted a motion today calling for a review of the results of a bloc vote on the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry's (KPDNKK) portion of Budget 2018 that was narrowly passed on Monday.
Gobind claimed there had been an error in counting the votes. He said 52 opposition MPs had voted against the budget bill instead of 51, and therefore the result should have been a tie.
Furthermore, in the submission to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, Gobind claimed that BN representatives had violated the standing orders.
"Tan Sri, the voting time was extended, during which it was reported several MPs who were late, among them Raime Unggi (BN-Renom), Koh Nai Kwong (BN-Alor Gajah), Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang) and Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN-Bera), were allowed to vote," he said.
Gobind said MPs who were late should not have been allowed to vote.
Later, Gobind told Malaysiakini that without the late MPs, there would have been 52 votes against the bill, and 48 votes in favour of it.
Further violations
In the motion, Gobind also complained that Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainuddin was at the house secretary's table during the vote-counting process.
"Tan Sri, the standing orders have specific provisions on the procedure of bloc voting and it was clear that there is no provision to allow MPs to be present at the secretary's table and in any way involve themselves in the vote-counting process.
"The standing orders are also clear that only MPs present at the time can vote. There is no provision to allow the Dewan Rakyat to wait for MPs from one side to attend before a decision is made," he said.
Gobind said Hamzah should be referred to the rights and privileges committee, while the votes of the four BN MPs who came into Parliament late should be rejected.
He said a recount was needed to ensure the exact number of votes of both sides.
Gobind also furnished the list of 52 opposition MPs who had voted against the ministry's budget.
Of the 52 MPs, 21 were from DAP, 19 from PKR, six from PAS, five from Amanah and one from Warisan.
Gobind submitted the motion under Section 43 of the Standing Orders, which states that the House speaker is responsible for the observance of the rules of order.
It also states that the speaker's decision is final and not open to appeal, but it may be reviewed by the House upon a substantive motion moved for the purpose.- Mkini
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