PARLIAMENT | A heated exchange erupted in the Dewan Rakyat as several MPs accused National Unity Minister Halimah Mohamed Sadique of evading questions.
Their ire was over funds from the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (Mitra) which were allegedly embezzled.
V Sivakumar (Pakatan Harapan-Batu Gajah) and M Kulasegaran (Harapan-Ipoh Barat) were among MPs who stood up to interject Halimah’s speech to enquire the status of an MACC probe against Mitra.
Halimah (above), who was giving a winding-up speech of the royal address, insisted she was unable to provide answers in relation to the MACC probe.
"How much was allocated to Mitra from 2020, 2021, 2022, I can't answer that as it has been included as part of MACC's investigations," she said.
Kulasegaran accused Halimah of refusing to provide a straight answer, while the Kota Tinggi MP blamed him for spinning his question.
Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun, who extended the preceding ministries’ winding-up speeches beyond their 40-minute limit, cut short Halimah’s time after Kulasegaran insisted on questioning her until she replied, “go home and eat thosai”.
Kulasegaran accused Azhar of trying to cover up for Halimah, to which the speaker replied: “What am I trying to cover up? I'm just following the orders.”
“Firstly, you must ask permission from the person (MP) speaking to interject, and if granted, I will have to invite you.
“An interjection is also only allowed to seek clarification, not to debate, but now I have given as much leeway as possible.
“I'm not covering up for the minister, what for?" Azhar said.
MP ejected
Azhar ejected Sivakumar from the Dewan Rakyat for refusing to follow orders.
"You can ask but follow the (standing) orders! What does the order say?
"How can you proceed (to question) if leave is not given?" a visibly irate Azhar told Sivakumar.
Halimah said questions on the MACC probe should be directed to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
She added that a briefing will be held in Parliament next Tuesday (March 22) to discuss the government's Indian Community Action Plan, including future plans for Mitra, excluding matters under MACC investigation.
Kulasegaran previously said the Mitra scandal must be investigated because it involved the alleged misappropriation of millions of ringgit meant for socio-economic programmes for the Indian community.
A total of 337 companies, associations, and NGOs had been identified as recipients of Mitra funds between 2019 and 2021, involving about RM203 million.
On Nov 22 last year, the MACC said it was almost done with its investigations against 10 of the companies involved. - Mkini
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