KUALA LUMPUR – Most opposition bloc members of parliament walked out of the Dewan after a motion to defer the special Dewan Rakyat sitting to debate the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report into Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) was rejected by the Speaker, Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
Before the ministerial briefing session began, opposition whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) rose under Standing Order 11(3) over the absence of prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
However, Johari insisted the sitting would proceed as scheduled, with the briefing session to be delivered by minister in the prime minister's department (religious affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan.
"We have the deputy prime minister here. Are we going to downgrade the standing of the deputy prime minister? No.
"The deputy prime minister represents the Cabinet, and so do other ministers," he explained.
He said Dewan Rakyat proceedings are recorded and can be examined further by the relevant parliamentary special select committee.
Takiyuddin then informed the Dewan that the opposition would not take part in the debate, before Johari ruled that those who did not wish to take part could leave the chamber.
Meanwhile, at a press conference at the Parliament building, Takiyuddin explained that the decision by Pas and Parti Wawasan Negara (Wawasan) MPs followed the government's decision to reduce the TH RCI report to a ministerial briefing session only.
He said this differed from previous RCI processes, which were tabled in Parliament for debate and subsequently decided through a vote.
"Not only is there no vote this time, but it's been downgraded to a mere ministerial briefing that could be held at any time during a normal sitting.
"A minister gives a briefing, MPs can ask questions and so on, that's the extent of it," he said.