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KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Harun today criticized MPs who criticized the measure to limit the number of members in the house, saying that some of them had not even attended the sessions.
He pointed out how in the past, sessions could not be held due to lack of a quorum.
“The quorum needs 26 deputies, but sometimes there is no quorum, especially at 2.30 pm (after lunch), but suddenly now it’s a big problem.
“Every day, we don’t see 222 MPs during the proceedings. At the most there are between 100 and 120 deputies, and they are not even here from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. They come and go, ”he said.
Azhar was responding to Hassan Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang), who said that limiting each session to 80 deputies was against articles 96 and 97 of the constitution.
He corrected Hassan, saying that Article 96 referred to taxes, while Article 97 referred to the consolidated funds of the Ministry of Finance.
Last week, Azhar ruled that only 80 MPs will be allowed in the Dewan Rakyat during the 2021 budget presentation and subsequent debates, to help curb the spread of Covid-19.
However, moments before Tengku Zafrul Aziz made his budget speech, MPs from both the opposition and the government spoke about the need for all members to be present, and the speaker finally relented.
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