KUALA LUMPUR 16 JULY: Prime Minister Tun Dr.Mahathir Mohamad regarded the Barisan Nasional (BN) members of parliament (MP) walking out of Dewan Rakyat this morning as a “sandiwara” or drama.
He said, the ex-prime minister now knows what it means when people walk out of the Dewan Rakyat.
“For the first time the ex prime minister and his people walked out of the Dewan,” he said to the nedia atvthe Parliament lobbybtoday.
The opposition lawmakers walked out of the Dewan Rakyat soon after the Secretary of Parliament, Datuk Roosme Hamzah announced the appointment of the Speaker of Dewan Rakyat Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md.Yusof Monday Morning.
They protested Mohd. Ariff’s appointment claiming that the official letter stated that Ariff was appinted in July 2.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the former judge’s nomination was only sent on July 9 which was later than the minimum of 14 day notice period.
Seventy- nine BN and 18 Pas federal lawmakers left the Lower House on the first day of the meeting.
They left soon after Tun Mahathir nominated Ariff
Dr. Mahathir added, there was no backdated as the letter of appointment for the Speaker was prepared earlier.
“When I signed the letter I put the date,” Dr. Mahathir claimed.
On the question of the appointment of the Speaker should be among MPs according to Pakatan Harapan (PH) Manifesto Tun Mahathir said: “For certain reasons we cannot folliw the actual manifesto.
“The manifesto is not a bible, but it is just a guidance. Sometimes we can do and sometimes we cannot. We should be practical minded.”
Dr. Mahathir also claimed that the public like somebody who is not related to any party.
