Pmd Allocation Passes With No Bloc Vote Despite Guan Eng S Earlier Call

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PARLIAMENT | The allocation for the Prime Minister's Department (PMD) under Budget 2022 has passed its committee stage with a voice vote in the Dewan Rakyat today.
This was despite DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (Pakatan Harapan-Bagan) urging on Saturday for his fellow Harapan MPs to call for a bloc vote against the PMD's Budget 2022 allocation today.
While the voice vote was not unanimous, it was in favour of the PMD allocation.
There was also no attempt to call for a bloc vote. Before a bloc vote can be triggered successfully, 15 MPs are required to support the call for a bloc vote. 
Previously, Lim had urged Harapan MPs to call for a bloc vote on the PMD allocation as a sign of protest against the cabinet's decision to grant former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak a property worth RM100 million.
On Nov 18, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz confirmed that the cabinet had discussed a request from Najib for a piece of land and house belonging to the government that was worth RM100 million.
It was later revealed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar that the government had agreed in principle to grant Najib his request.
Najib said he withdrew his request before Wan Junaidi made the announcement.
This revelation had prompted Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim to later call for a review of any understanding with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's administration.
On Nov 18 itself, Budget 2022 passed through its policy stage with a voice vote, after Warisan and Pejuang MPs failed to trigger a bloc vote due to lack of support from Harapan MPs.
Harapan had signed a memorandum of understanding with the government in September, with the opposition coalition agreeing to support or abstain from voting on Budget 2022, among others.
In return, the government promised to implement a series of reforms. -Mkini

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