New Dewan seating plan to come, after MP’s complaint

The seating arrangement in the Dewan Rakyat today shows 114 on the government side, 107 in the opposition bloc and one independent.

PETALING JAYA: A seating plan for MPs in the Dewan Rakyat caused momentary confusion over political allegiances today but an official said the seating arrangement was based on information given by political parties.

The official, who cannot be named, said a new seating arrangement would be drawn up for the next meeting in July and misunderstandings or complaints would be looked into.

Sri Aman MP Masir Kujat was reported as denying he had shifted his political allegiance after he was placed among backbenchers of the ruling Perikatan Nasional at today’s one-day sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.

Masir, a member of Parti Sarawak Bersatu’s presidential council, was quoted as saying his party was still in opposition. He had previously voiced support for former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whose Pakatan Harapan government collapsed in February.

The official said the Parliament Secretariat would usually draw up the seating plan for display at the lobby entrance, based on information provided by the MPs’ respective parties.

Today’s seating plan shows 114 backbenchers on the government benches of the 222-seat House, with 107 in the opposition bloc.
Selangau MP Baru Bian, the former PKR Sarawak chief, is the only Independent in the house. After the Pakatan Harapan government collapsed, he was among those who were to have supported the new Perikatan Nasional government, but changed his mind later.

Seated in the first row of the opposition bloc were PKR president Anwar Ibrahim (Port Dickson), Amanah’s Mujahid Yusof Rawa (Parit Buntar) and Langkawi MP Mahathir Mohamad, who is a member of PPBM.

Others in the first row were Amanah president Mohamad Sabu (Kota Raja), DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (Bagan), PKR’s Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Pandan) and DAP’s Lim Kit Siang (Iskandar Puteri). - FMT