Dewan Rakyat Speaker Defends Decision To Prioritise Govt Mps Questions

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PARLIAMENT | Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul has defended his decision to prioritise six questions from backbenchers in the first 10 questions on the daily order paper.
Addressing opposition MPs who stood up to question the move as "undemocratic", Johari (above) noted that the number of backbenchers outnumbered opposition MPs.
“Starting from this sitting, under Standing Order 100, I will allow more questions from the backbenchers to be included in the first 10 questions for the oral question time session.
“My granting of this request is not meant to limit the voices of any one party but to uplift the voices from the backbenchers and opposition in their questioning,” he told the Dewan Rakyat at the start of the sitting today.
The oral question time in Parliament usually takes around two hours and features questions from MPs or ministers.
Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran) said the previous practice of alternating questions from the government and opposition was introduced under former Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia during the 12th parliamentary term.
Beluran MP Ronald KiandeeJohari pointed out he was then the Pakatan Harapan chief whip as part of the opposition bench with 82 MPs.
‘Against past practices’
In arguing against the decision, opposition chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) said that this goes against previous practices.
“This is a matter of the Dewan Rakyat.
“Actually, any requests, whether from the backbenchers or opposition, should be discussed by the parliamentary select committee,” he said.
Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin HassanTakiyuddin added that the opposition was meant to function as a check and balance, but there was currently neither check nor balance.
Shahidan Kassim (PN–Arau) attempted to bring Standing Order 36(6) against Johari over the matter but changed his mind upon further questioning from the speaker.
He then tried to bring the same order against Mohd Shahar Abdullah (Harapan-Paya Besar) but Johari dismissed him and told him to be seated.
- Mkini

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