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In a statement, he said any MP who wished to debate the flood crisis should have notified him via WhatsApp on the eve of the sitting, or filed a motion on Monday morning itself.
“None of the MPs did so.
“Without any earlier notice, Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng rose and asked for explanations from the ministers on their response to the flood crisis. According to the Standing Orders, there is no procedure where an MP can ask for explanations from a minister.
“The MPs only have the right to submit questions for ministerial responses. On that day, there were no questions posed by any MP. As a matter of fact, the questioning session was not even on the agenda of the day,” he said.
He said that after seeing more opposition MPs standing up, he explained that the matter was not included in the agenda of Monday’s sitting which only had the tabling of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021 by health minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
“I do not have the powers to allow such debate to take place as per their request.
“Being experienced MPs, they should have known about this. I just could not understand their actions.”
Azhar also said any MP who wished to debate an urgent matter in the Dewan Rakyat should have prepared a motion according to the procedures.
“Under Standing Order 18(1), a motion to debate an urgent matter should be submitted to me a day before the sitting.
“For this flood crisis, any MP could have sent a notice to me via WhatsApp or any other way on the eve of the sitting – or submitted a motion in the morning of the sitting day itself.
“None of them did,” he said.
Azhar further explained that a motion was necessary so that a ministry could prepare its responses to the issue. “A motion is also needed so that issues can be debated in a proper way.
“Plus, we can avoid issues that are unrelated to the motion.”
He stressed that he has no intention to stifle debate on urgent matters.
“But I do not want to lower the standard of the Dewan Rakyat to that of a coffee shop, where any issue can be debated without adhering to the Standing Orders.
“There is not even one Parliament in the Commonwealth nations that allows debates on any issues without adhering to Standing Orders.
“I am ready to allow debates. For that, I have created 10 select committees – which is historic for the Malaysian Parliament in ensuring checks and balances.”
He further added that the criticisms aimed at him were politically motivated and that he would not be part of this “endless politicking”.
Earlier, FMT reported that several Pakatan Harapan MPs lamented Azhar’s refusal to allow debate on the flood crisis in five states on Dec 20.
Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad (Amanah) said the MPs missed the opportunity to conduct a “post-mortem” on the government’s response to the floods while Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil (PKR) criticised Azhar for not using his powers to allow the debate.
Even Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan was disappointed that the debate was not allowed.
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