KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs absent from the bloc voting session in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday night said they were missing due to work commitments.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the MPs did not skip the Parliament session deliberately, as claimed by critics.
Nancy said she was on her way to Sarawak for a programme and discussion but had to cancel her trip.
She rushed back to Parliament after performing Maghrib prayers even though she was already at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
“Some of the MPs had important tasks to do that must be done in the interest of the people. It's not truancy, as claimed by certain quarters," she was quoted as saying by the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) online portal.
She slammed the Opposition for trying to derail the 2018 Budget and yet, requesting aid from the federal government.
“It is pointless to vote for them as they have no interest in discussing the people's needs," said the Batang Sadong MP.
Meanwhile, Simpang Renggam MP Liang Teck Meng said he was having a meeting concerning the oil palm industry when news came of the bloc voting.
Liang said he was with Jasin MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Hamzah and Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong in Damansara Utama at the time.
"We were there, together with outsiders and a group of lobbyists, to discuss how to handle the oil palm boycott crisis. Also present was European parliamentarian Daniel Hannan and a group of lobbyists,” he said.
Liang, who is also Gerakan secretary-general, said the Opposition is just trying to scuttle the 2018 Budget for the sake of opposing.
He also expressed confidence that other BN MPs who were absent from Parliament that evening had been occupied with work responsibilities.
The Opposition created a stir in the Dewan Rakyat when they demanded bloc voting after Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin had wrapped up the 2018 Budget debate at the committee stage for his ministry.
The proposal was put forward by Kapar MP G. Manivannan as the Opposition MPs had outnumbered BN MPs at the time.
In the subsequent bloc voting, the bill squeezed through on a 52-51 vote with Pas MPs abstaining from the vote.
Opposition lawmakers had argued that several BN MPs had entered the Dewan late and their vote should not count. In response, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said there was no provision in the Standing Orders which dictate the time frame for MPs to be in the Dewan.