It is important for any one of them to hear the views from other MPs on the matter due to the importance of the bill

pic by BERNAMA

DEWAN Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (picture) urged the finance minister or any one of his two deputies to attend the debate on Budget 2021 as none of them were present for the sitting yesterday.

She said it is important for any one of them to hear the views from other MPs on the matter due to the importance of the bill.

At the end of the sitting yesterday, Azalina agreed with RSN Rayer (Pakatan Harapan-Jelutong) who raised the issue and questioned why Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Deputy Minister of Finance I Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri (Bersatu-Kudat) and Deputy Minister of Finance II Mohd Shahar Abdullah (Barisan Nasional-Paya Besar) were absent from the debate.

He said they should be present since the daily Dewan Rakyat sitting has been cut short to 2pm.

“I urge the minister or his deputies to be in the Dewan when MPs are debating the bill because this is an important issue.

“I know everyone is busy, including myself, but please be present for the debate,” Azalina said.

When Rayer brought the matter up to Azalina, she initially told him to inform Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun on the issue due to time constraint.

When the Jelutong MP first raised the issue with Azhar, it was not addressed.

The speaker said the Standing Orders do not contain a rule which requires the minister or his deputies to attend the debate on budget.

The budget was tabled last Friday by Tengku Zafrul and it was the biggest budget ever presented by the government amounting to RM322.5 billion.

Debates on the budget began on Monday.

The Parliament’s daily proceedings have been shortened to 2pm since Monday until the end of this parliamentary term on Dec 15 as a safety precaution to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Only 80 MPs are allowed in the Dewan Rakyat at one time during the sitting.

The debate for the budget at policy level will be for eight days, while another 11 days has been allotted for the debate at the committee level.