Khairy remains inside the Dewan Rakyat after the walkout staged by BN MPs, led by Ahmad Zahid. Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: Even though there was a dispute concerning the proclamation of the new Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, 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 yesterday, following the 14th general election (GE14) on May 9.
Khairy said they could voice out their objections during the debate session after the official opening of the 14th Parliament, 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 (today) 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 walkout 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, as there were no other nominations.
Had there been other names, the voting process by MPs would have followed. — Bernama