THERE was no question that yesterday's question- and-answer session was better than last Wednesday.

Eight questions were asked and replied to by the government compared to a mere three during the 90-minute session last week. There was an initial hiccup when Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Ge- lugor) and Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia had an exchange on whether the latter's ruling barring the raising of points of order was valid.

"It is not fair and smacks of being dictatorial in nature," the DAP chairman said. Pandikar Amkin had made the ruling as he did not want a repeat of the last session that was disrupted by exchanges between MPs. The speaker referred Karpal to Standing Order 43 which stated that the decision of the chair was final.

The first question of the day was posed by Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR-Machang).