All MPs allowed to witness Budget 2021 tabling in Dewan Rakyat

PARLIAMENT | All MPs were allowed entry to the Dewan Rakyat today to witness the tabling of Budget 2021 by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

The decision to allow all MPs to attend the sitting today was made by speaker Azhar Azizan Harun following an application by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim against the decision made yesterday to limit the attendance to only 80 MPs in the hall at any one time.

Anwar made the application just before Zafrul began tabling the budget at about 4.20pm.

Anwar’s application was supported by MPs across the divide, including Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan), Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak), and Lim Guan Eng (Harapan-Bagan).

In his application, Anwar said all necessary measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 at the Parliament have been taken to ensure a smooth and safe sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.

“This session is specifically to witness the budget speech of the finance minister, so it is important for the speaker to allow the MPs who are already waiting outside to get inside the Dewan Rakyat.

“I hereby request for the speaker’s approval for the application,” he said.

Bung who supported the application, said, “According to the standing order, the speaker has the power to let them (MPs) in.”

The speaker then allowed all MPs to enter the Dewan Rakyat to witness the tabling of the national budget.

“However, I need to stress that the decision to allow only 80 MPs to attend per sitting was a consensual decision of the chief whips. So, starting Monday, I will strictly adhere to the decision,” Azhar said.

Yesterday, the Dewan Rakyat decided to allow only 80 MPs to attend per sitting, comprising 41 MPs from the government and 39 from the opposition and independents, to ensure a smooth running of the session amid Covid-19.

The decision was reached at the Dewan Rakyat Order of Business Coordination Meeting Following Spread of Covid-19 meeting, which was attended by 10 party whips.

- Bernama