Annuar Musa: KJ may not have been aware of Umno’s plan to walk out

KUALA LUMPUR: Khairy Jamaluddin may have not been aware of Barisan Nasional's plan to stage a walkout in Parliament on Monday (July 16).

Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa (pic) said the Rembau MP did not attend the customary Barisan MPs’ pre-council meeting held on Sunday night (July 15).

“He wasn’t at the meeting, perhaps he was busy with the World Cup final.

“It was at this meeting that we decided that if we are not allowed to present our objection over the manner the Speaker was appointed, we would walk out and talk to the media,” he told a press conference here on Monday (July 16).

Annuar said they were surprised when Khairy stayed put.

Asked whether the former Youth and Sports Minister would be punished, Annuar said, “No action”.

The Opposition MPs walked out of the Dewan Rakyat after Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof was sworn in as the Speaker for the 14th Parliament.

They claimed that the appointment process was not transparent and a point of order was raised by Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS-Kota Baru) when Dewan Rakyat secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah read out the motion proposing Mohamad Ariff as the sole candidate for the post of Speaker.

“I have received a suggestion from the Prime Minister in his letter to the Dewan Rakyat on July 2, 2018. As such the House would like to propose Datuk Mohamad Arif Md Yusof as the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat,” read Roosme.

The motion was then tabled by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and seconded by his deputy Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Khairy, who like Kimanis MP Datuk Seri Anifah Aman did not participate in the walkout, later said he was “still with Umno”.

He said he wanted to be an exemplary Opposition MP, which is why he decided not to join in the walkout.

“I am an Umno member and I know my limits. But when I am required to give my opinions, I will give them according to what I think it is right,” he said, adding that he was only speaking for himself.