The non-presence of the entire cabinet and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak during opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s 2013 Budget reply is a gross disrespect to the Dewan Rakyat, as this is a time-honoured parliamentary convention.

PKR vice-president N Surendran said their absence also shows their total disregard of the democratic system of government provided for under the federal constitution.

 

“The complete abandonment of the government front benches during the budget reply speech was simply inexcusable. It is clear from this irresponsible conduct that Najib and his ministers are unable to accept the kind of criticism and debate that is the norm in all functioning democracies.

“Najib’s absence is made much worse by the fact that he is also the finance minister who presented the government’s budget,” said Surendran.

In contrasting such practise with the British and Australian governments, Surendran said British PM David Cameron and his cabinet were present throughout the budget reply speech from Labour opposition leader Ed Miliband in the House of Commons.

NONE Australian PM Julia Gillard ( right ) and her cabinet were also present in the House of Representatives for the hard-hitting budget reply from the Liberal opposition leader Tony Abbott, said the PKR vice-president.

“This has always been the practice in democratic Commonwealth parliaments and this is in accordance with the time-honoured parliamentary convention.

“Najib and his cabinet’s conduct is a huge embarassment for our parliamentary democracy and renders laughable Najib’s claim of running the ‘best democracy in the world’. Najib’s consistent inability to face debate or criticism makes him a serious liability as the country’s PM. He appears to fear the cut and thrust of routine parliamentary debate.”

Surendran said Najib’s non-attendance smacks right into the right of the rakyat to listen for a comprehensive and meaningful debate upon the budget proposal.

Najib’s action, he said, has undermined Parliament and disgraced his own political coalition.

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