Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Rashid Hasnon (above) has advised ministers and deputy ministers to improve on their attendance for House sittings.

This was after the opposition complained that several ministers and deputy ministers were absent from the Dewan Rakyat during its sessions.

Rashid said he acknowledged that ministers and deputy ministers were busy with functions outside of Parliament but urged them to arrange their schedules so as to accommodate Dewan Rakyat sittings.

"On behalf of Parliament, I would like to ask that ministers be disciplined in attending sittings. If ministers cannot attend, then their deputies should attend.

"If there are events that are priorities, then they should arrange their schedules better," he told journalists at the Parliament lobby today.

Rashid was asked to respond to complaints by the opposition, particularly by Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam).

In the House earlier, Wee was dissatisfied that no representative from the Home Ministry was present during question time.

Instead, Deputy Economic Affairs Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin had to answer the question on behalf of the Home Ministry.

Officers to stand-by

"During question time, there can be no excuses (for not attending) by claiming that they do not expect questions for their ministry to come up. It is unacceptable.

"If the minister cannot come, at the very least the deputy minister should attend. In the past (during BN's time), the deputy ministers could attend, so why not now?" Wee had said.

Deputy Home Minister Azis Jammam who showed up in Parliament after question time said he had other commitments with his ministry.

"Coincidentally, there was a ministry programme just now to grant citizenship and other matters. We did not expect questions for our ministry to come up.

"We, however, take note and have asked out officers to stand-by in the event of an emergency (question)," he added.