KUALA LUMPUR: Improvements are seriously being considered to present data of MPs’ attendance for public knowledge on the Parliament website, says Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
The Dewan Rakyat Speaker said he would need to look at the legal aspects and the Parliamentary Standing Orders before deciding if the proposal, which was raised by former speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, could be implemented.
Johari said there were even suggestions to show the full hourly attendance of MPs.
“Of course, I’ll have to look at the legal issues, whether it is possible or not, but if you ask me, personally I feel it should be done, though again I’ll have to consider the mechanism or the law as well as the Standing Orders,” he said at a meeting here organised by the Concorde Club yesterday.
The Concorde Club is an informal gathering of a group of editors and senior journalists with politicians and key policymakers.
Also present was the newly-appointed Bernama chairman and Star Media Group adviser Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai.
Previous guests included Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Cabinet ministers Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Anthony Loke.
Johari, who is formerly the Sungai Petani MP, said it was only fair for the public to know if their elected representatives had regularly attended Parliament.
“Certain hours, or a cap, are needed when you come into Parliament; you need to work, you know, then only you get paid.
“I think it is quite fair. At the moment we do not have that system so it’s free and easy; you can come in the morning and clock in, then you go for coffee and come back in the Dewan, fight a bit and then go out or simply go home,” said the Speaker, who has previously declared a tough stand on tackling MPs’ attendance.
Back in August, in an interview with The Star, Johari had said he was mulling to cut MPs’ allowances if they failed to turn up in Parliament, as a measure to deter absenteeism among the lawmakers.
He reiterated his seriousness in looking into the matter.
“Perhaps we can come up with a more stringent mechanism, that if you don’t come for a certain period of time, then I might have to suspend your allowance or something along those lines.
“Some critics have said we are not school students and that shouldn’t be the way.
“My response is that you appealed to the people for votes and got elected and now, you have a moral responsibility to attend Parliament,” he added.
On a separate matter, Johari said he was given the assurance that the controversial littoral combat ship (LCS) project was on track following his site visit to the Boustead Naval Shipyard at the naval base in Lumut, Perak.
He said he was given a full briefing of the project along with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman and its members.
“As a Speaker, I take it as a personal responsibility; when I preside soon over this matter, I’ll know what they are talking about.
“Looking at the schedule, it will be on time; in some areas, it is even ahead of time.
“I think in term of costs, whatever that has been decided by the government is on track,” he said.
Johari had previously said he would ensure that the PAC report regarding the LCS construction project would be debated in Parliament.
In response, the PAC headed by Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin welcomed the decision to debate the report in the coming Parliament meeting, which begins on Monday.
While she said Johari’s visit to the shipyard with PAC members was the right move, she believed that the motion to debate and the winding-up of the PAC LCS report should be done by the PAC chairman and its committee members.
