KUALA LUMPUR: There was a slight delay in the debates for Budget 2024 at the committee level for the Education Ministry when Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) asked why the minister or deputy was not in the Dewan Rakyat.
"We kindly ask the minister or the deputy to come in. We are at the committee stage already. The minister has to respond immediately
"Or else how do we debate if only the officers are taking our points," he said in Parliament on Monday (Nov 27).
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Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah (PN-Indera Mahkota) also stood up, stating that he fully supported Dr Wee's remarks.
"I agree with Ayer Hitam (Dr Wee). If it is like this, I do not want to debate," added Saifuddin.
To this, Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Noor said that under the Parliament's Standing Orders, it is not compulsory for the minister to be in attendance in the Dewan Rakyat and can be represented by another minister or officers from the ministry.
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"I believe that there is a representative of the minister and this is allowed under the Standing Order," he said.
The situation returned to normal once Ramli announced the attendance of the Education Minister in the House.
Earlier, Ramli announced that 28 MPs will be debating Budget 2024 for the Education Ministry, with five minutes given to each of them to debate.
