KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Annuar Musa has taken a jab at Seputeh MP Teresa Kok for saying that the Federal Territories Ministry's "free trade area" initiative was "going to turn it into Ketereh".
The Ketereh MP said that Kok's remark was unbecoming and not of the standard expected of a parliamentarian.
"When she spoke like that in Parliament, it brought down the standard of an MP. She questioned if this initiative would mean that people can do business on Jalan Parlimen," he said.
Annuar said that this was not true as the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had guidelines that must be followed.
"This initiative does not mean that the law will not be followed. The rule of law will still prevail," he said on Saturday (Nov 14).
The Federal Territories Minister had announced this week that those who had lost their job could apply for a temporary six-month licence from DBKL to become petty traders.
Annuar also responded to the call by the nine Kuala Lumpur MPs demanding that a meeting be held to discuss matters related to the city.
"They can come anytime. I welcome them. They can come to my house, my office, or anywhere that is convenient for them, and they don't need to issue press statements to ask for a meeting," he said.
He added, however, that these MPs must adapt to the new normal under the conditional movement control order.
"Nowadays, I conduct most of my meetings via video conferencing," said the Barisan Nasional secretary-general.
He said the MPs should make full use of the parliamentary deliberation time to raise and discuss issues.
"That would be the most suitable time, as everything that is said will be recorded in the Hansard and I will be able to respond," he said after a ceremony in Kampung Baru to present cash aid to 76 families of flood victims in the city.
In a joint statement on Thursday (Nov 12), Tan Kok Wai (Cheras MP), Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang MP), Teresa Kok (Seputeh MP), Dr Tan Yee Kew (Wangsa Maju MP), Lim Lip Eng (Kepong MP), Fahmi Fadzil (Lembah Pantai MP), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa MP), P. Prabakaran (Batu MP) and Hannah Yeoh (Segambut MP) said they had waited for over two weeks to meet with the minister.
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