Deputy Speaker rejects Perikatan MP’s motion to debate PM Anwar’s Saudi Arabia trip

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 — Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor has rejected the emergency motion by Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Machang MP Wan Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal to debate Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia.

At the end of Ministers’ Question Time (MQT) in Parliament today, Ramli said that government affairs were the priority in the Dewan Rakyat, whose order of business was determined by the Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul and Leader of the House, who is Anwar.

“We should know that the Leader of the House is the prime minister, that is indisputable.

“The Order of the Day is decided by Parliament, which is under the auspices of the Speaker and the Leader of the House. Government affairs take precedence,” he told Parliament today.

Ramli was responding to Opposition chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan’s interjection that the matter must be discussed in Parliament because it was of urgent public interest.

“What other channels do we have for the people? You (Ramli) tell us, where else? You are an honourable man, a learned person. You guide us,” he said.

In response, Ramli cited the conventions of other countries that also use the Westminster system of government where the House decides the motions to be debated.

“YB (Takiyuddin) was formerly a minister so let’s not drag this out. There are still other matters,” Ramli said.

Yesterday, it was reported that Wan Fayhsal had filed an emergency motion to discuss Anwar’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia in the Dewan Rakyat.

Wan Fayhsal described the recent official visit as an “embarrassment” to Malaysia during a press conference in Parliament, because Anwar had failed to attend a scheduled meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud who is also the kingdom’s prime minister.