BN and PAS MPs stage brief walkout at Malaysian Parliament
They were protesting against failure to observe notice period required for appointment of Speaker
KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional and Parti Islam SeMalaysia Members of Parliament walked out of Malaysia's Dewan Rakyat (lower House) after Mr Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof was sworn in as Speaker.
Opposition MPs jeered when former judge Mohamad Ariff was sworn in yesterday as they were unhappy over the failure to observe a 14-day notice period required for such appointments, The Malay Mail reported.
The group returned after Mr Ariff was appointed to complete their own swearing-in ceremony.
Malaysia's 14th Parliament has a non-BN coalition, Pakatan Harpan, in the majority for the first time.
The historic sitting, which also sees Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad returning to Parliament as premier, convened for a swearing-in ceremony for all 222 MPs, and Deputy Speakers as well.
Dr Mahathir told reporters outside Parliament: "That (the walkout) is sandiwara (drama). It is just play-acting."
He said this was the first time that many, including former prime minister Najib Razak, were on the opposition bench.
"For the first time, the ex-prime minister walked out, so now he knows what it means when people walked out before," Dr Mahathir said.
There was dissension in the Umno ranks though. Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin and Kimanis MP Anifah Aman did not participate in the walkout.
Mr Khairy said he is "still with Umno" although he refused to join in the walkout staged by his fellow opposition MPs on Monday morning, reported The Star.
He said this was because he wanted to be an exemplary opposition MP.
"I am an Umno member and I know my limits. But when I am required to give my opinions, I will give them according to what I think is right," he said, adding that he was only speaking for himself.
Mr Khairy also said he stayed because he chose to respect the swearing-in ceremony of the Speaker.
"I only made a decision based on my views, which is to respect the swearing-in ceremony. We can protest during debates or after the officiating ceremony tomorrow.
"To me, it is better if we respect the ceremony and not resort to any actions that might undermine Barisan's image as a credible opposition."
Najib said the staged walkout was a party decision, The Star reported.
He said it is up to the party to decide what to do with the two who did not comply.
EXPLAIN
"That was a party decision. I leave it to the party to decide. Probably they should explain to some extent why they did what they did," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday.
When asked how he felt to be an opposition MP for the first time, Najib said: "I have accepted it.
"My priority is to service the people, and I want to be an opposition lawmaker who is constructive.
"I want to play a role so our country's democracy functions to provide meaning to the principle and practice of a healthy democracy."
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