KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat has approved the RM476.67 million allocation for the Plantation Industries and Commodity Ministry under the Committee Stage of the Supply Bill 2021.
Members of the lower House of Parliament passed the financial bill allocation by a 13 vote majority after registering a 108-95 vote outcome in favour of the government.
The bloc-voting today had a difference, as vote-counters, accompanied by Sergeants-at-Arms were pressed into service during the process.
It was learnt that the vote counters and Sergeants-at-Arms were enlisted to ensure accurate reflection of the votes cast and prevent mistakes in the counting of those present.
Meanwhile, Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun said 17 Members of Parliament were not present in the Dewan Rakyat for the vote count for the ministry's allocation.
Earlier, proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat deteriorated into a free-for-all after several MPs cried foul over Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, Willie Mongin's, conduct after he allegedly showed the middle-finger in the chamber to lawmakers in the opposition aisle.
Prior to the bloc voting, allocations for two ministries, namely, the Foreign Ministry (RM777.9 million) and National Unity Ministry (RM320.4 million) were approved through voice voting, in stark contrast to Monday's approach for agencies under the Prime Minister's Department and Finance Ministry, which saw bloc-voting being imposed.
Meanwhile, the morning session of the sitting turned into a shouting match between deputy speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon, and MPs from both the government and opposition over the bloc voting error for the Finance Ministry's allocation under the 2021 Budget, which saw 107 MPs voting in favour and 95 voting against it.
It was reported that 18 MPs were absent during the voting process, when in actuality, it was 19.
In rectifying the matter, Rashid informed the House that Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, who was yesterday counted to have voted for the allocation, was in fact not present, prompting protests from the opposition who had demanded for a recount.
"Following this, I would like to inform that result are rectified, with 106 MPs voting for, 95 against and 19 MPs were not present," said Rashid, adding that any MP with grouses over the matter should write to the speaker.
The bloc vote counter in question, Datuk Shabudin Yahya (BN-Tasek Gelugor), after being pressed by MPs for an explanation, stood up and said he did not have any intention to manipulate the vote numbers as he genuinely saw Nazri prior to the voting process.
The opposition had demanded bloc voting on Monday's allocations under Supply Bill 2021 for the Prime Minister's Department and Finance Ministry at the committee stage, both of which were passed.
The Finance Bill 2021 was passed at the policy stage through voice voting on Thursday, raising the ire of many who questioned the opposition's decision not to call for bloc voting, despite heavily objecting to the RM322.5 billion budget in the run up to its voting.