Cabinet meetings to be moved to Friday during Parliament sittings to free ministers to attend the Dewan Rakyat.
Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Nga Kor Ming has taken Pakatan Harapan ministers and deputy ministers to task for their mass absence from the Parliament sitting yesterday.
“It (the absence) was inappropriate,” he told Malaysiakini.
It was understood that the Cabinet held its weekly meeting yesterday evening, but this does not explain the absence of the deputy ministers, who do not sit in the Cabinet meetings.
BN lawmakers had yesterday condemned the large number of empty seats on the government side of the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, with Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan and Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin taking to social media to highlight this.
Nga said today he was made to understand that cabinet had decided to change its weekly meeting to Friday during the Parliament session, starting next week.
“I was informed that effective immediately, the Cabinet meeting will be moved to Friday during Parliament sittings as a sign of respect to the august House.
“So, I think the incident yesterday will not happen again. I also thank the opposition lawmakers for the reminder,” he said.
Nga, who is also Teluk Intan MP, said that while he did not want Cabinet members to attend Parliament at risk of abandoning other pertinent duties, priority must be given to the Dewan Rakyat.
“I believe due respect must be given to Parliament, and even if ministers are unable to attend the proceedings, they must at least send their deputies to show up and prepare for their winding-up speeches.
“They should not rely solely on government officers to prepare their answers and speeches in Parliament,” he told reporters.
“As deputy speaker, I want to remind lawmakers from both sides of the divide to respect the sanctity of Parliament,” Nga said.