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PETALING JAYA: The decision of the majority of the opposition MPs to opt against an individual vote for the approval of the budget has raised doubts, while the leaders of the party and the deputies seem to be keeping silent about it.
Previously, the opposition lacked the number of MPs needed to agree to a bloc vote, with only 13 of the minimum 15 representatives needed to stand up when Dewan Rakyat chairman Azhar Azizan Harun asked if there were enough MPs.
Some MPs have identified the 13 who rose to ask for individual vote as the 11 MPs from Amanah and two from Pejuang, namely Dr. Mahathir Mohamad (Langkawi) and his son Mukhriz (Jerlun).
However, Mahathir’s aide has clarified that Pejuang’s four MPs had risen, including Amiruddin Hamzah and Shahruddin Md Salleh.
Attempts by the FMT to contact PKR and DAP MPs were unsuccessful, while text messages sent to some party members received no response despite being seen.
Calls to Amanah MPs were also unable to go through, although a leader told the FMT they were in the middle of a meeting.
Other politicians took to social media to express their disappointment at PKR and DAP’s decision not to support their Pakatan Harapan (PH) partner Amanah and Subang Jaya Assemblywoman Michelle Ng of DAP tweeted: “Explain now”.
Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud of DAP said she was sure PH had its reasons for doing so. “And like you, I also want to hear it.”
Meanwhile, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said it was not true that the budget was approved in its entirety, adding that this was just a policy-level vote.
“There is still the committee level and the third reading,” he said in a Twitter post.
Mukhriz also took to Twitter and posted a kind of veiled dig, saying, “It is better to live on your feet than to die on your knees.”
