MPs stage walkout to protest Najib's budget speech
PARLIAMENT | Several MPs walked out of the Dewan Rakyat this morning in protest against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's speech as BN Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chief to debate the Supply Bill (Budget) 2021.
Taking to Twitter, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah said she walked out as a sign of protest over the fact that Najib, despite being convicted of corruption, was still given the privilege to debate the budget...
PARLIAMENT | Several MPs walked out of the Dewan Rakyat this morning in protest against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's speech as BN Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chief to debate the Supply Bill (Budget) 2021.
Taking to Twitter, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah said she walked out as a sign of protest over the fact that Najib, despite being convicted of corruption, was still given the privilege to debate the budget.
"Najib Razak was convicted of corruption. But today he was present as BNBBC chief and debated the Budget 2021 as if nothing happened.
"I protest and I walked out! #NotMyNewNormal," Maria tweeted.
The former Bersih chief was detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) for 10 days in November 2016, during Najib's tenure as prime minister, ahead of the Bersih 5 rally with demands that included his immediate resignation.
She had gone on to challenge the legality of her detention and paid RM25,000 in damages to the government, following a consent judgment reached in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur last year.
When contacted, Maria declined to comment further to critics of her tweets who, among others, argued that she should have raised her objections in the Dewan Rakyat instead of walking out.
"I walked out because he is convicted. I have made my point. If they (critics) can't see it, I have nothing to say about it," she said, adding that there were other MPs who had also walked out or aired their protests.
Others who took to Twitter included Pejuang's Mukhriz Mahathir, now an independent Jerlun MP.
"For the life of me I don't understand how a former PM convicted of seven counts of abuse of power, CBT and AMLA breaches can still speak about the national budget in Parliament! New norm?" Mukhriz tweeted.
On July 29, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur handed Najib a 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine after finding him guilty of seven counts of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to RM42 million of funds from SRC International.
The High Court also granted a stay of execution pending the outcome of Najib's appeal that will be heard by the Court of Appeal beginning Feb 15 next year.
Meanwhile, Batu Kawan MP Kasthuriraani Patto told Malaysiakini she had personally opted to not be in the Dewan Rakyat during Najib's debate.
"Since there is a rotation system, we wait for one person to leave to get the pass to enter the hall," Kasthuriraani said.
Earlier in the House, Jelutong MP RSN Rayer had questioned the 90-minute privilege given to Najib for his debate, in comparison to 15 minutes for other MPs.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun urged Rayer to not further raise the issue, explaining that Najib was given 90 minutes as BNBBC chief, which is the same amount of time allocated to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
