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KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun says that it was proposed that only two MPs from each party should be in the Dewan Rakyat for the presentation of the Budget 2021, but it was he who insisted that more should be able to attend the session.
Dewan Rakyat’s chairman dismissed criticism leveled at him for the decision to allow only 80 MPs to attend the session on Friday (November 6).
“It was a consensus decision of all the party leaders who attended the meeting on Wednesday (November 4) evening when the decision was made.
“In truth, there was a proposal to limit only two deputies from each party to attend the presentation of the Budget 2021, but it was I who fought to allow the entry of 100 deputies and not the others (who attended the meeting).
“However, after further negotiations, it was decided to allow 80,” he said in response to RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) in Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (November 5).
Rayer wanted clarification from Azhar on the matter, saying Malaysians on social media were criticizing the decision to limit the number of MPs.
However, Azhar, also known as Art Harun, said those critics did not take note of how the vote on the Budget would be done.
He said that there is no limit to the number of deputies who vote on the budget when a block vote is called.
“If a block vote is requested, the House bell will be rung for two minutes and a period of 10 minutes will be given for all deputies to enter the Chamber and the bell will be rung again for another two minutes before the carry out the vote.
“There is no limit on the number of deputies (in the Dewan Rakyat) during the vote,” he said.
Rayer also asked why the 80 MPs allowed during the debates were made up of 41 government MPs and 39 opposition MPs, and not an equal number of lawmakers from both sides.
Azhar said that the figures agreed by party leaders are a reflection of the current composition of the House of 222 members.
He also said that the decision to shorten the debate time and limit the number of MPs in the House was aimed at limiting the risk of exposure to Covid-19.
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