Nga raps Harapan ministers, deputies for Parliament absence

Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Nga Kor Ming has rapped Pakatan Harapan ministers and deputy ministers, describing the latter's mass absence from Parliament sitting yesterday. 

"It (the absence) was inappropriate," he told Malaysiakini. 

He was commenting on the large absence of cabinet members from Parliament sitting yesterday, as it was understood that cabinet held its weekly meeting yesterday evening.

Even so, this does not explain the absence of the deputy ministers, who do not sit in cabinet meetings.

Opposition BN lawmakers had yesterday questioned the large number of empty seats on the government side of Dewan Rakyat yesterday, with Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan and Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin taking to social media to point out this out.

Nga, when contacted today, said he was made to understand that cabinet had decided to change its weekly meeting to Friday during the Parliament session, starting next week.

"So, I think the incident yesterday will not happen again. I also thank the opposition lawmakers for the reminder," he said.

"The cabinet should have had its representatives attend the (cabinet) meeting, particularly when opposition leader Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was debating (the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's speech), and (so they could) respond later during the wrap-up process," he said.

Nga, who is also Teluk Intan MP, stated that he spotted four deputy ministers at the sitting yesterday.

Even so, he said all ministers and deputies were ultimately responsible to their voters and to Parliament.

"As deputy speaker, I want to remind lawmakers from both sides of the divide to respect the sanctity of Parliament," he said. - Mkini