DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang today questioned the need for a 'buddy system' to be implemented among Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers in ensuring the quorum during parliament sittings.

The new system was announced by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz on Sunday. Under the system, the 100-odd BN backbenchers would work in pairs - when one of them is out of the chambers, the other has to be in it to ensure the quorum is met.

The current quorum for a parliamentary sitting is 26 MPs. Despite the number of MPs being raised from 193 to 219 after the 11th general election, Nazri said there was no plan to change the quorum.

Lim, who is Ipoh Timor MP, told a press conference at the parliament's lobby that Nazri's proposed new system was a 'very novel and even creative' way to address the problem of absenteeism among BN parliamentarians but it involved two fundamental questions.

"Why should absenteeism among the BN MPs be a problem at all? BN has won with an unprecedented nine-tenth parliamentary majority, controlling 90.4 percent of parliamentary seats by having 198 of the total of 219 parliamentary seats," he asked.

Elaborating, he said it was perplexing as to why the BN MPs could not ensure the quorum of 26 when this represented only 13 percent of the 198 BN MPs.

"The Malaysian voters are entitled to ask why BN leaders are so keen to be candidates and to win in the general election, and yet are not prepared to perform the most elementary duty of attending parliament," he said.

Parliamentary responsibility

The veteran politician also asked why the 'buddy system' was only applicable to BN backbenchers and not to its 93 frontbenchers comprising ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries.

He said if the system was also applied to these frontbenchers - where there should be a minister, deputy minister or parliamentary secretary present in the House - the quorum of 26 would be met without having to apply the system to the backbenchers.

Lim stressed that the issues of absenteeism and lack of quorum should not be a problem if all parliamentarians were serious about their parliamentary responsibility.

"What Nazri should be addressing are the big and substantive issues which can transform the Malaysian parliament into a first world parliament not just in terms of the parliament building and infrastructure, but in parliamentary mind-set, culture, practices and performance," he said.

He also criticised Nazri being "... bogged down with trivial and even non-issues" when the latter should be grappling with the major issues of parliamentary reform and modernisation such as DAP's call for a opposition MP to head the Public Accounts Committee.

He added that since being assigned the portfolio of parliamentary affairs, Nazri has shown to be a "conscientious and hands-on minister" but people may not fully agree on what he (Nazri) has said and done.

Apart from the 'buddy system', Nazri last week also announced that BN MPs would have to submit explanatory letters to BN whip Najib Abdul Razak - who is also the deputy premier - if they failed to attend parliament sittings.

Also present at Lim's press conference were DAP parliamentarians Dr Tan Seng Giaw, Tan Kok Wai, Chong Eng, Teresa Kok and Fong Po Kuan.