The Dewan Rakyat, which was adjourned sine die yesterday after a 36-day sitting since Oct 19, approved the 2010 Budget besides 18 bills.

Among the bills passed were the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (Remembrance Allowance) (Amendment) Bill 2009, the Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Berhad (Special Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2008, the Judges' Ethics Committee Bill 2008, the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2009 and the Securities Commission (Amendment) Bill 2009.

New bills tabled included the Credit Reporting Agencies Bill 2009, the Personal Data Protection Bill 2009 and the Goods and Services Tax Bill 2009.

The sitting also taught a valuable lesson to Barisan Nasional (BN) members of parliament on the importance of their attendance in the Dewan Rakyat in determining the future of the country and citizens.

The slim majority win during a block voting on Monday night to approve the 2010 Budget will remain as a staunch reminder to all BN MPs to be present at all Dewant Rakyat sittings.

In the incident, the third reading of the 2010 Budget was approved by a majority of three votes, with 66 BN MPs for it while 63 Opposition MPs voted against it.

Also present at the 11.15pm vote was Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, who rushed into Parliament after attending official functions in the city.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin reproached the absent MPs saying it put the government in a negative light.

He said had government lost in the block voting, the 2010 Budget would not have been approved and the result would be that a fresh election would have to be called.

- Bernama