Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (March 7): Dewan Rakyat proceedings were temporarily paused on Tuesday (March 7) due to a lack of quorum.

The insufficient number of Members of Parliament in attendance was noted during the debate on the revised Budget 2023, as Wong Kah Woh [DAP-Taiping] was delivering his speech.

Wong was stopped by Jamaludin Yahya [PAS-Pasir Salak], who raised a point of order on the ongoing meeting.

Jamaludin invoked Section 13(1) of the Dewan Rakyat’s Standing Orders, which requires a quorum of at least 26 MPs for the meeting to continue.

Deputy Speaker Alice Lau Kiong Yieng ordered a count and found that only 24 out of the 222 MPs were present in the House at the time.

“Secretary please ring the bell,” said Lau, resulting in MPs coming back. The quorum requirement was subsequently fulfilled, and proceedings then resumed.

RSN Rayer [DAP-Jelutong] and Chong Zhemin [DAP-Kampar] subsequently lamented that Jamaludin was being insensitive as many MPs were performing prayers.

“Don’t cause an issue, please be sensitive Pasir Salak,” said Rayer.

“We are supposed to abide by the standing orders,” Jamaludin responded, before Lau muted the duo’s microphone and ordered Wong to continue his speech.

For more Parliament stories, click here.

Edited ByS Kanagaraju
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