DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock today said he has submitted a request to review the Dewan Rakyat Speakers decision to permit a question on allowances for ministers to go unanswered.

In fact, it is in the interest of the public that a ministers allowance which has been increased quietly should be made known and not be kept secret, said Kerk in a statement.

He added that the request was submitted to the Speaker Dr Mohamed Zahir Ismails office yesterday.

Kerk first raised the issue on March 28 and directed the question to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

On Wednesday, he received an unsigned written reply from the Prime Ministers Department which stated the Speaker had agreed not to reveal the information in Parliament to protect public interest.

It further stated that the Speaker had agreed that the question need not be answered in accordance with Order 23 (4) of the Parliamentary Standing Orders which stipulates that a minister to whom a question is addressed may, with the approval of the speaker, refuse to answer such questions on the grounds of public interest and such refusal cannot be debated or questioned.

Ridiculous excuse

However, Kerk maintained that the matter was of importance to the public and therefore the question must be answered.

He described the excuse given as ridiculous and an insult to the intelligence of Malaysians.

Such refusal would only give rise to two public impressions, firstly, what I said in Parliament last year — that there were hefty increases in the ministers allowances — were true, and secondly, that the government has something to hide.

The government must realise that its decision not to reveal details asked by me...has made both the Parliament and the government a national as well as an international laughing stock, Kerk said.

Last year, Kerk had revealed that ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries were paid hefty allowances, without prior consultation with Parliament.

This was not the first time DAP has crossed swords with the speaker.

DAP MP for Batu Gajah, Fong Po Kuan was suspended from Parliament for six months last year when she criticised Zahir for rejecting her motion to debate the Certficate in Legal Practice (CLP) scandal.

The motion to suspend Fong was made by Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Dr Rais Yatim on Dec 11 2001.