KUALA LUMPUR: The Parliament institution should be accorded due respect with the full attendance of its members as a demonstration of unity.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that while he is not taking sides, attendance in Parliament and debates has to be given priority.
"No matter how busy we are, the (Dewan Rakyat) session has to be given due respect. Even the Prime Minister has taken the effort to reply to the first question posed by the opposition leader.
"This needs not just moral support but a display of unity, not us among Members of Parliament but by all.
"In this regard, I think the head of the proceedings (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) was correct in speaking out on the matter, and it should be corrected," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby on Tuesday.
On Monday, Dr Mahathir had expressed his dissatisfaction with the attendance level of his ministers and deputy ministers at the Dewan Rakyat proceedings.
However, he said he would not be making their attendance as a key performance indicator (KPI) as he understood that they have ministerial duties to perform.