GEORGE TOWN – The names of MPs found to be deliberately absent from parliamentary sittings will be displayed on the Dewan Rakyat website so that their constituents can be informed of the matter.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said this was among the improvements being implemented to boost MPs’ attendance during Dewan Rakyat sittings.
He said he would discuss the suggestion with the parliamentary committee, which includes MPs from both the government and opposition blocs.
“We have a committee, so I can’t just give the order, in the committee we have backbenchers and opposition MPs so we will discuss this and then decide when it begins.
“It’s best to do this as soon as possible, maybe at the upcoming sitting, this is the improvement we’re looking at as it will give voters the opportunity to find out which MP is absent,” he said after officiating an Asean Scout Association for Regional Cooperation meeting here today.
Johari also said he understood that MPs had many duties and some of them were unable to attend Dewan Rakyat sittings as they needed to be present at meetings in other locations and some had duties abroad, adding that he did advise MPs to inform him or the Dewan Rakyat secretariat if they were unable to attend.
“We do monitor MPs who are absent often or deliberately although I have no power to take any action against them, but there are ongoing efforts.
“Whichever MP who is absent with reason can inform the speaker on duty, at least we won’t consider them playing truant,” he said, describing absenteeism as something not that serious, as the majority of MPs do attend regularly. – November 4, 2023