KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition MPs were missing from the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, prompting a government MP to raise the matter with the Speaker.
Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) stood up during Question Time after noticing the awkward situation in the House.
“No one from the Opposition is present today (yesterday).
“There is not even a single Opposition MP here,” he said when Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul skipped question number four, raised by Datuk Ahmad Amzad Mohamed (PN-Kuala Terengganu) in the Order Paper, and proceeded to move to the next question.
Earlier, Johari also skipped the questions raised by Datuk Ali Biju (PN-Saratok) and Datuk Ahmad Amzad Hashim (PN-Kuala Terengganu).
Due to the mass absence of the MPs, Johari skipped six questions in total – while also allowing three supplementary questions to be brought up, compared with the usual two.
However, some of the missing Opposition MPs were spotted at their seats at around 11am.
It was learnt that they had gone to the “Himpunan Selamatkan Syariah” (Gathering to save Syariah) rally at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, as a show of support for the PAS-led Kelantan state government in a case involving the state’s Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019.
Perikatan Nasional has 74 seats in the House – 43 from PAS and 31 from Bersatu.
Later, during the debate on Budget 2024, Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (PN-Bukit Gantang) denied that the Opposition MPs had played truant.
“We did not play truant. We had to attend to party matters outside,” he added.
Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) interjected and asked if absent ministers were also considered playing truant.
