Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia today responded to a query about Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's poor attendance record in Parliament with a poser of his own.

"Is it important for foreign investment of RM144 billion to come, (or for Najib) to sit here and see the same face and then they (MPs) ask irrelevant questions.

"Which one (do you prefer)?" Pandikar asked reporters during a press conference in the Parliament reception room today.

The RM144 billion he referred to was the reported amount involved in Najib's trade talks with China as part of an ongoing state visit.

Pandikar noted that the prime minister had things to do, and that investment deals like the one he secured with China was for the country's benefit.

Asked if he would push for the implementation of Prime Minister's Question Time after successfully implementing Minister's Question Time, the speaker expressed uncertainty.

"I don't know. I'm losing steam. You are not being appreciated for what you do, you are being hammered every day.

"What would you do if you were in my position?" he asked a reporter.

When the reporter replied that he would still try to implement Prime Minister's Question Time, Pandikar said: "Ok, I will try."

[More to follow]