Deputy education minister rapped for not having answers ready

PARLIAMENT | Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Ramli Mohd Nor has reprimanded Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying and the government over their failure to prepare an answer for today's oral question-and-answer session.

This happened about 11.30am when it came to Ahmad Marzuk Shaary's (Perikatan Nasional-Pengkalan Chepa) turn to ask a question, seeking the education minister's explanation on the Supplementary Food Programme at schools.

The question was directed to Lim (above) as Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek was not present.

Marzuk wanted to know how much the government is allocating for the programme, and the mechanism it used to monitor the quality of the food served under the programme.

However, the question was met with a long pause, before Ramli asked the deputy minister if she had an answer, to which Lim replied in the negative.

"I have to apologise, Mr Speaker. Because I did not prepare an answer. Can I give the answer (later) in a written reply?" Lim asked.

The remark irked opposition MPs, including Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran) who said such a blunder should not happen in the Dewan Rakyat.

He also pointed out to Ramli that questions on the list for today's session had been submitted beforehand, and the minister in charge had to prepare an answer.

Concurring with Ronald, Ramli then proceeded with an official rebuke against the deputy minister.

"Minister, this thing should not have happened.

"I hope the government and the leader of the house will take note of this," Ramli said.

According to Dewan Rakyat standing orders, an MP cannot ask a question without notice, unless the speaker "is of the opinion that it is an urgent character and relates either to a matter of public importance or to the arrangement of public business".

Under Standing Order 22(2), it is stated that a question has to be submitted to the Parliament secretary no less than 10 working days before the sitting begins.

Call for resignation

During a press conference later, Marzuk called on Lim and Fadhlina to resign over their failure to answer questions in Parliament.

"I think it is a waste of government money to pay the salary of a deputy minister who could not fulfil her duty. It was a very simple task, which was to answer a question.

"So today I suggest that the deputy minister and the minister in charge resign. This should not have happened. As far as I remember, this had never happened in Parliament's history," he said.

Apology

Special functions officer to the deputy minister, Lim Swee Kuan, later apologised for the oversight which he said happened out of the usual norms.

"Usually the process of preparing oral answers was done based on the maximum number of questions for all ministries, typically between 11 and 13 questions in 90 minutes.

"The officer will give a detailed briefing to the minister or deputy minister who will be answering the first 15 questions," he said.

For today, he said the deputy minister had answered questions 4, 8 and 11, but unexpectedly at 11.35am received Question 16 which she was not prepared for.

"Our office will take more proactive steps to prevent this situation from happening again," he added.

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