Opposition lawmakers stage walkout before bloc voting on GST statute paper

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition lawmakers staged a walkout before bloc voting on a Goods and Services Tax (GST) statute paper.

 

The bloc voting was called for by Barisan Nasional lawmakers after an earlier attempt by the Opposition to have a bloc vote during a Finance Ministry motion was not allowed.

 

All Opposition lawmakers walked out, which resulted in Barisan winning the bloc vote 101 to zero, paving way for the statute paper on GST exemptions to be passed.

 

Several Opposition MPs had called for surprise bloc voting on the statute paper prior to the lunch break.

 

However, Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said that the bloc voting will only be done after lunch at 2.30pm.

 

After lunch, the august House saw Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi calling for a bloc vote even though the Opposition did not raise the matter.

 

This caused Opposition lawmakers to walk out, claiming it was an abuse of the process.

 

Later in a press conference, Seremban DAP MP Anthony Loke said that the reason why the Opposition had called for bloc voting was because many Barisan lawmakers weren’t present during the Parliamentary session. 

 

He also said that the Opposition’s decision to call for a bloc vote was to teach Barisan lawmakers a lesson about playing truant during Parliamentary sessions. 

 

“Because many of them (Barisan MPs) aren't in the House. So that’s why we called for a bloc vote. So, I think the lesson to be learned here is to not take Parliament for granted. It is their duty to attend Parliament and we want them to know that we are not a rubber stamp," he said.