Gobind dares Azmin to admit blocking Nga, Azhar says he changed his mind
- UPDATED 1PM | Added Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun’s response.
PARLIAMENT | Gobind Singh Deo (Pakatan Harapan-Puchong) has challenged International Trade and Industries Minister Azmin Ali to admit that he was the senior minister who reportedly blocked Nga Kor Ming (Harapan-Teluk Intan) from presiding over part of the Dewan Rakyat session yesterday.
In the midst of the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today, Khoo Poay Tiong (Harapan-Kota Melaka) had questioned the identity of the senior minister who blocked Nga from chairing yesterday’s afternoon sitting.
While Khoo was subsequently told to...
- UPDATED 1PM | Added Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun’s response.
PARLIAMENT | Gobind Singh Deo (Pakatan Harapan-Puchong) has challenged International Trade and Industries Minister Azmin Ali to admit that he was the senior minister who reportedly blocked Nga Kor Ming (Harapan-Teluk Intan) from presiding over part of the Dewan Rakyat session yesterday.
In the midst of the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today, Khoo Poay Tiong (Harapan-Kota Melaka) had questioned the identity of the senior minister who blocked Nga from chairing yesterday’s afternoon sitting.
While Khoo was subsequently told to stand down as he was interrupting the question-and-answer session, Gobind - who was meant to ask the next question in the session - stood up and singled out Azmin (above).
“I challenge Gombak, is he the senior minister? If you dare, stand up and answer the question now,” Gobind said.
“I dare because it is in line with the rules. This is the question-and-answer session, you as a lawyer should know this,” Azmin had replied before both their microphones were cut off by Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Rashid Hasnon.
It is unclear what Azmin was referring to in his reply.
Rashid attempted to stop the argument by reminding them that they were still in the midst of the question-and-answer session.
“Gombak does not dare to answer,” Gobind said after that.
However, he no longer pursued the matter and moved on with the question-and-answer session.
At the end of the question-and-answer session, Gobind raised the issue again, questioning who has the final say when it comes to parliamentary affairs.
“I want to know, in this House, is it not the speaker who makes decisions related to the Standing Orders?
“Gombak was here earlier, we want to know is he the minister responsible?” Gobind said.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun acknowledged he did send a letter to Nga asking him to preside over yesterday’s afternoon sitting, but that he changed his mind at the last minute, without any pressure.
“I changed my mind at the last minute. I was actually not encouraged or pressured by anyone to change my mind,” he said.
Though several other opposition MPs attempted to get further clarification from him, a visibly irritated Azhar pushed forward with the sitting.
It was reported that Nga was stopped by a “senior cabinet minister” from presiding over the afternoon session of the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
The report said Nga had been invited, in writing, to chair the session by Azhar.
However, the decision was rescinded due to “pressure” from the “senior cabinet minister” who called the speaker at 1.50pm yesterday when the Dewan Rakyat was in recess.
Following that, Azhar presided over the Dewan Rakyat at 2.30pm.
Normally, the Dewan Rakyat speaker is assisted by two deputies on a rotational basis but there is one deputy speaker vacancy.
Having a regular member of the House to preside over the Dewan Rakyat is not unusual.
Last Wednesday, Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang) was invited to preside over the sitting "temporarily". She was formerly the deputy speaker who recently resigned and caused the opening of the spot.
