Rosol likens PM's absence from TH RCI sitting to a runaway groom
Speaker insisted Rosol's comparison was misplaced, noting that Cabinet members were still present at the special sitting, including deputy prime minister.
KUALA LUMPUR – The special Dewan Rakyat sitting on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report into Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) was thrown into disarray today after an opposition motion to defer the session over the absence of prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was rejected.
Datuk Rosol Wahid (PN-Hulu Terengganu) rose to question the wisdom of proceeding with the session, describing it as incomplete – like a wedding held without the groom.
"Now we're about to hold the wedding, but the groom hasn't shown up," he said.
However, Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul insisted Rosol's comparison was misplaced, noting that Cabinet members were still present at the special sitting, including deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
"There's no wedding here. All of us, including myself, are bound by Standing Order 11(3) – meaning when the prime minister applies to hold this sitting, he sends a letter and I agree to allow it to be held.
"As for why the prime minister isn't here, we still have the deputy prime minister with us – do you want to downgrade his standing? He represents the Cabinet.
"We still have two important sessions ahead – on Oct 5 is the Budget tabling and that's an opportunity all honourable members can use," he said.
Earlier, a heated exchange also broke out between Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau), Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) and Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat) shortly after PN whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan rose to move a motion for the special sitting to be deferred over the prime minister's absence.
Shahidan said Anwar, who is also the Tambun MP, should have been present given how often he had linked TH to the alleged misconduct of "sakau".
However, Sany questioned the reasoning of opposition MPs pushing for the sitting to be deferred.
"I'd like the Speaker's guidance – I read in the standing orders that the prime minister may convene this sitting, and his presence isn't necessarily required.
"This Cabinet works collectively. If the PM isn't here, the deputy prime minister is and he can answer – in fact, the finance minister and the religious affairs minister are here too.
"So what's the problem? I think we should proceed with this sitting, because our colleagues from Sabah and Sarawak have already come, at the cost of their hotel bills," he said.
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