KUALA LUMPUR – Opposition MPs have defended their decision to skip a portion of today’s Dewan Rakyat sitting, saying attending the Gerakan Selamatkan Syariah rally at the Palace of Justice should not be considered as “ponteng”.
Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang-PN) told the lower House that opposition MPs always attend the Dewan Rakyat sitting and are always committed to voicing out the people’s problems.
“As a member of Parliament, I have two things to highlight – people and the country, and my constituency.
“We (the opposition) always attended Dewan Rakyat sittings even though we went to the Palace of Justice to show solidarity but we are considered ‘ponteng’. But we are not.”
Meanwhile, Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (Pasir Mas-PN) then questioned if the ministers who were absent are also considered as “ponteng”.
“If considered as ‘ponteng’, can we consider the ministers who are absent today – except the health minister – as ‘ponteng’?”
Seeing that most of the opposition MPs are absent from today’s Dewan Rakyat sitting, most of the queries for ministers during question time have been skipped.
As a result, Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul earlier said he was allowing three supplementary questions for each question read during question time – typically between 10am and 11am – today.
Some of the opposition MPs were spotted at the Gerakan Selamatkan Syariah rally held in front of the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya this morning, ahead of a hearing on a constitutional challenge against several Kelantan shariah law provisions in the Federal Court.
PAS has characterised the case as an attack on Islam, condemning Kelantanese Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid and her daughter, Tengku Yasmin Natasha Tengku Abdul Rahman, for allegedly undermining Islam in the suit.
In response, PAS held a rally in front of the Palace of Justice here at the same time as the proceedings.
The Federal Court has reserved its judgment in the constitutional challenge against 18 provisions under the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019. – November 20, 2023