It is pathethic to see the former Bersatu Information chief and MP for Tasek Glugor, Wan Saiful Wan Jan scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to defend the indefensible to justify the absence of the top Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders from the Prime Minister’s Question Time yesterday.
The Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil made a valid point when he criticised the top three PN leaders for their absence in Parliament during the PMQT yesterday.
Can the three top PN leaders, the two PN Prime Ministers-designate Muhyiddin Yassin and Hadi Awang and the Opposition Leader Hamzah Zainudin explain why they played “truant” from their parliamentary duties yesterday when the Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim answered questions about the outcome of the official visit to China, the vape issue and the contract doctors issue?
Defending the absence of the three opposition leaders, Wan Saiful said improvements must be made to the PMQT, including on questions that can be asked.
He said that during PMQT, only the MP called by the speaker can stand to ask a question. The rest will not be allowed to interject.
Wan Saiful is not giving a true picture of the parliamentary proceeding. In fact, he was trying to distract the issue.
If anyone of the three Opposition leaders had stood up to ask a supplementary question whether during PMQT or the parliamentary question time, the Speaker will give him priority over other backbenchers by virtue of his seniority and position.
Since the PMQT was introduced on Feb. 14, 2023, there had been eight PMQTs, and a check with the Hansard will show that never in anyone of the eight PMQTs since Feb. 14 had anyone of the three PN leaders tried to pose a single supplementary question.
Is there anyone among the three leaders who could claim that he tried to ask the Prime Minister during PMQT and was not allowed by the Speaker?
Can anyone of the three PN leaders say that he had tried to put in a question for the eight PMQTs?
If not, can the three PN leaders explain why they were playing truant from their parliamentary duties during the eight PMQTs in the last three months?