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KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition MPs demanded that Dr Adham Baba answer their queries during the ministerial response on the Supply Bill 2021 after the Health Minister dodged questions, including from a government deputy, in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Adham had allowed interjections by opposition and government MPs earlier in his speech, but then decided not to give in due to lack of time.
Hannah Yeoh (PH-Segambut) then urged Vice President Rashid Hasnon to allow Adham to take more time as the session had been extended to allow all ministers to conclude the budget debate.
He said the liquidation session was not intended to be “one-way traffic” and that discussions should be allowed, adding that ministers did not come to Dewan Rakyat simply to recite responses.
Rashid said the ministers were allowed to explain their responses, but maintained that this was not the time for debate, adding that this should have been done in the previous weeks.
“I just want to finish my speech, if not, I won’t be able to finish it. I have the answers to all the questions raised during the debate, ”said Adham.
Dr Xavier Jayakumar (PH-Kuala Langat) later urged Rashid to give MPs more time to ask questions, as today’s proceedings could be extended later than usual.
“This is Parliament. We are not a rubber stamp. If you want us to be here and ask no questions, what’s the point? “
As Adham finished his speech, Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian) asked the Health Minister why the one-time payment of RM 500 for the vanguard was not extended to others such as policemen and soldiers.
Adham did not respond to his query despite Ahmad pressuring him on the matter, simply saying: “Thank you to all the agencies involved with the health ministry for managing Covid-19. This will be noted by the finance minister. “
RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) urged Adham to respond to Tiong King Sing’s (GPS-Bintulu) criticism of Director General of Health (DG) Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah in Dewan Rakyat two weeks ago.
Saying that Adham, as health minister, should defend Noor Hisham in Parliament, Rayer asked why he was not defending a member of his ministry staff.
When Rashid asked if he wanted to respond to Rayer, Adham refused.
Tiong received a barrage of criticism when he questioned Noor Hisham about not visiting hospitals in Sabah and asked the chief health officer if he was “afraid of dying from Covid-19.”
Tiong, who is also the special envoy to China, also accused the director general of health of seeking publicity in his daily health reports, saying that Noor Hisham should go down with the worsening Covid-19 situation in Sabah.
