Ahmad Zahid (second right) checks out the donated food items for the aid mission for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. — Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: ‘Domestic action’ has been taken against the Barisan Nasional MPs who did not attend the Dewan Rakyat sitting on Monday during the division vote on the Supply Bill 2018 for the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said he had also advised the BN MPs to be more serious in attending Dewan Rakyat sittings.
The Bill was approved by one vote, with 52 MPs in favour, 51 against and two abstentions.
“It was important that we won. I have taken action actually … some domestic action. I have advised them, they should be more serious in attending the sessions,” he told reporters yesterday after launching a food aid mission for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, at the compound of Parliament House.
There was an uproar in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday when lawmakers from both the government and opposition sides engaged in a war of words out of unhappiness over the division vote conducted at the sitting. It started when G Manivannan (PKR-Kapar) stood up the moment Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin wound up the debate on the Supply Bill 2018 at committee stage for the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry.
Manivannan suggested that a division vote or bloc vote be taken to determine the support for the Supply Bill 2018.
It was approved by 52 votes for and 51 against.
As for the Rohingya food aid mission, the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC), under its social corporate responsibility initiative, would send 25 tonnes of food to Malaysian non-governmental organisations operating in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.
Multi-national companies such as F&N Marketing Sdn Bhd, Nestle (M) Berhad, Dutch Lady Milk Industries Berhad and Fortune Lab Sdn Bhd were among the contributors of the food items for the mission.
Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee, who would head the aid mission, said 12 government and opposition MPs would participate in the mission which would depart for Chittagong on Friday and then head for Cox’s Bazar.
Also present at the launch of the aid mission were Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan and HDC chief executive officer Datuk Seri Jamil Bidin.— Bernama