Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin and Kimanis MP Datuk Seri Anifah Aman are still seen in the Dewan Rakyat while Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and a few Barisan Nasional MPs staged a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat protesting that the election of the Speaker did not follow procedure. – Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: Even though there was a dispute concerning the proclamation of the new Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat today, the opposition walking out was not the right way to show their protest, said Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin.
The former Umno Youth chief and Kimanis MP Datuk Seri Anifah Aman did not join their opposition colleagues in walking out and stayed on until the swearing in of the MPs when Parliament convened for the first time today following the 14th general election on May 9.
Khairy said that they could voice out their objections during the debate session after the official opening of the 14th Parliament tomorrow or through the Standing Orders.
“Today was for the swearing-in of MPs, so we should respect the august house and also the (swearing-in) ceremony. We can be good examples.
“How we want to make our objections known can be done during debate tomorrow or via the Standing Orders on Wednesday,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
Anifah declined to comment when approached by reporters after the ceremony.
Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs led by Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PAS MPs staged the walk out to show their dissatisfaction over the process of choosing retired Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mohamad Ariff Yusof as the new Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat.
Mohamad Ariff was proclaimed as the ninth Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat following there being no other nominations.
Had there been other names, the voting process by MPs would have followed.
The Barisan Nasional which had been in power in the country since independence is now in the opposition after losing to the Pakatan Harapan coalition in GE14.
PAS is the other party in the opposition. – Bernama