Anwar’s bid to debate rising prices, declining ringgit shot down

 

Anwar Ibrahim filed the emergency motion last Friday, saying the rise in the prices of goods and the fall in the value of the ringgit were affecting the people. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun has rejected opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s emergency motion for the House to debate the rising prices of goods and the declining ringgit.

Azhar said there was no need for the urgent motion, pointing out that the issues raised by Anwar (PH-Port Dickson) had been debated eight times in the past.

“Plus, we have discussed the issues raised in the House earlier this morning, and lengthy answers have been given (by economic affairs minister Mustapa Mohamed),” he said.

He said the issues raised by Anwar would be brought up and answered during the Budget 2023 debate.

“Therefore, I have to reject the motion,” he said.

In response, Anwar said the budget was meant to focus on the government’s expenditures for next year, while the question-and-answer session only allowed for the minister to give a “lecture on economics” instead of debates.

Anwar had filed the emergency motion last Friday, saying the matter needed to be expedited as the exponential rise in the prices of goods and the fall of the ringgit would affect the people.

The Dewan Rakyat Standing Order states that any motion to raise an urgent matter for debate requires that the issue is of public interest, involves a specific matter, and is urgent.

Anwar contended that the issues he was raising fulfilled all three criteria. - FMT