Rafidah, come on Monday
Published: Oct 1, 2005 6:31 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
"Come to Parliament on Monday" is the message from Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang to International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz today.
"Come to Parliament on Monday" is the message from Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang to International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz today.
Lim who is expected to debate on the Budget 2006 when Parliament resumes sitting next Monday said in a statement that he would speak at length on the Approved Permits (AP) controversy and that Rafidah would be given special way, even to interrupt his speech, to respond to points he raised.
"I am offering Rafidah an opportunity in Parliament on Monday...I will allow her to have the floor as many times as she wants to give a full accounting through the parliamentary device of seeking clarification during my speech (debate)," Lim said.
"Similarly, I would also allow Barisan Nasional MPs who have questions to be put to Rafidah on the AP scandal to do so through the same parliamentary device," he added.
Appearance on Tuesday
Rafidah is expected to turn up in Parliament only on Tuesday to answer a question by Dr Wan Hashim Wan Teh (BN-Gerik) over the government's efforts to protect the national automotive industry from decline and losses as a result of the poorly-controlled import of foreign cars.
"With the multitude of questions which have snowballed in the four-month AP scandal, it is clearly impossible for justice to be done to the AP issue with one parliamentary question, even if the unusual practice of allowing four supplementary questions is resorted to," Lim said.
One hour is allocated for the question-and-answer session in the Parliament sitting and by convention, the speaker will allow only two supplementary questions from the original question.
Lim called for a "full and no-holds-barred accountability session" in Parliament on the AP scandal, with the minister fielding with all the queries. With his 'offer', Lim said "I can ask all what I want, Rafidah answers all she wishes and BN MPs can raise all the queries to Rafidah".
"She should not tarry any longer and should take the first opportunity to give a satisfactory accounting of the AP scandal in Parliament, which is coming Monday," he stressed.
The cabinet on Wednesday directed Rafidah to present in Parliament to take questions from MPs over AP, after her continued absence in the House.
Lim who is expected to debate on the Budget 2006 when Parliament resumes sitting next Monday said in a statement that he would speak at length on the Approved Permits (AP) controversy and that Rafidah would be given special way, even to interrupt his speech, to respond to points he raised.
"I am offering Rafidah an opportunity in Parliament on Monday...I will allow her to have the floor as many times as she wants to give a full accounting through the parliamentary device of seeking clarification during my speech (debate)," Lim said. "Similarly, I would also allow Barisan Nasional MPs who have questions to be put to Rafidah on the AP scandal to do so through the same parliamentary device," he added.
Appearance on Tuesday
Rafidah is expected to turn up in Parliament only on Tuesday to answer a question by Dr Wan Hashim Wan Teh (BN-Gerik) over the government's efforts to protect the national automotive industry from decline and losses as a result of the poorly-controlled import of foreign cars.
"With the multitude of questions which have snowballed in the four-month AP scandal, it is clearly impossible for justice to be done to the AP issue with one parliamentary question, even if the unusual practice of allowing four supplementary questions is resorted to," Lim said.
One hour is allocated for the question-and-answer session in the Parliament sitting and by convention, the speaker will allow only two supplementary questions from the original question.
Lim called for a "full and no-holds-barred accountability session" in Parliament on the AP scandal, with the minister fielding with all the queries. With his 'offer', Lim said "I can ask all what I want, Rafidah answers all she wishes and BN MPs can raise all the queries to Rafidah".
"She should not tarry any longer and should take the first opportunity to give a satisfactory accounting of the AP scandal in Parliament, which is coming Monday," he stressed.
The cabinet on Wednesday directed Rafidah to present in Parliament to take questions from MPs over AP, after her continued absence in the House.
View Comments0