IT IS simply unacceptable that both the Health Minister and her Deputy were simultaneously absent during the question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat, and questions raised to the Health Ministry were replied to by a Deputy Minister from another ministry.
The Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat Tan Sri Datuk Johari bin Abdul needs to take necessary disciplinary action against the Health Minister and her Deputy to serve as a deterrent for any Minister or Deputy Minister intending to skip Parliamentary sittings.
Prior to the 15th general election, Pakatan Harapan had constantly bandied that it would initiate institutional reforms if it was voted into office.
Such pledges need to be turned into concrete action and actual implementation to indicate Pakatan’s seriousness and determination for reforms and not remain as mere lip service.
Just recently, MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong had informed that the eight questions raised by Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Wira Mas Ermieyati Samsudin was not answered by Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa or her deputy, Lukanisman Awang Sauni as the two of them were absent from the Parliamentary session.
Instead and unexpectedly, the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Deputy Minister K. Saraswathy represented the Health Ministry - a very unusual situation indeed.
It is understandable that the Health Minister may be temporarily absent from the Dewan Rakyat due to physical illness.
However, once Parliament proceedings have convened, both Minister and Deputy Minister cannot be concurrently absent from Parliament or attend functions at other locations.
At the very least, one of them must be on standby to attend Parliament at any given hour.
Lukanisman who was absent from the Q&A session at the Dewan Rakyat must be subjected to disciplinary measures as his absence is not only contemptuous against Parliament but also disrespectful against the sovereign head of state.
Their actions have left a stain on the Malaysian Parliament causing citizens and the Opposition in particular to construe that the Malaysia Madani government is neglecting its duties, and that Parliament sittings are just an outward appearance.
The Parliament is a sacrosanct chamber of democracy and legislation.
Every MP represents the voice of Malaysians. It is the duty of elected representatives to seek answers from the government for the rakyat via Parliamentary debates and sessions.
It is thus negligent of both the Minister and Deputy Minister to be missing from Parliament at the same time.
Datuk Kang Meng Fuat
MCA Central Committee
