KUALA LUMPUR: A verbal spat broke out in the Dewan Rakyat when an Opposition MP claimed there was a lack of quorum in the august house.
Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah) raised the matter just as she was about to begin debates when the House reconvened at 230pm after lunch on Wednesday (Feb 5).
However, as Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Alice Lau was instructing the sergeant-at-arms to ring the bell before taking headcount, more MPs began filing into the hall.
Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) then stood and questioned why quorum had to be called when MPs from both the government and opposition were attending a briefing earlier.
“It doesn’t make sense to call a quorum for government MPs alone,” he said.
RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) also claimed Mas Ermieyati had malicious intent when calling for quorum.
“It’s as if implying that other MPs are not present when they were in fact attending briefings earlier,” he said.
Deputy Speaker Lau then ruled for proceedings to continue, adding there were enough MPs in the house.
This is the first time an MP has raided the issue of a lack of quorum in the august house during the current meeting which began on Monday (Feb 3).
Under Standing Order 13, there must be at least 26 MPs in the 222-seat Dewan for proceedings to go on.
Dewan Rakyat proceedings were also temporarily halted on July 11 and Oct 21 last year due to a lack of quorum.
