IN my nearly half a century in Parliament, I would have been ecstatic if the government-of-the-day had agreed to a parliamentary debate on the Auditor-General’s Report.
Yet the Perikatan Nasional (PN) Opposition MPs plunged Parliament into one-hour chaos in their opposition to debate the 2021 Auditor-General’s Report and even worse, carried out a boycott of the debate itself.
PN MPs had acted in a very irresponsible manner since the 15th General Election, not only challenging the Yang di Pertuan Agong’s advice to act in the national interest to provide political stability and ensure that there is national unity in plural Malaysia, but now undermining the important parliamentary role to provide checks and balances against executive excesses and abuses of power.
Masjid Tanah-PN MP Datuk Wira Mas Ermieyati Samsudin did no service to her role as Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman when she objected to the debate when she should have stayed in the Chamber during the debate to hear what MPs have to say on the Auditor-General’s Report as guidance for the PAC.
Moreover, it would be ideal if there was a parliamentary rule for the Auditor-General’s Report to be debated, its reference to the PAC and a parliamentary rule where the PAC report is then debated.
However, the boycott by the PN MPs has undermined the whole process.
The question is when will the PN MPs act with greater responsibility for their parliamentary duties and functions. – June 7, 2023
Veteran lawmaker and retired DAP supremo Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang is the incumbent MP for Iskandar Puteri.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main photo credit: Malaysiakini
