THE opposition’s nearly successful efforts to vote down the Supply Bill portion for the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry was meant to teach the ministry a lesson, said Nik Mazian Nik Mohamad (PAS-Pasir Puteh).

He said MPs voted on conscience to oppose the increase in prices of goods.

“We are against the high price, and this is the ministry in charge of price control, (we have) to say to them we don’t like this (price hike), (so we) give them a lesson,” Nik Mazian told the press today.

The bill was nearly derailed by a bloc vote yesterday night, which was passed by a single vote.

Fifty-two MPs had voted in support, 51 against, while two abstained.

The results were announced by Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee after a few minutes of chaos when G. Manivannan (PKR-Kapar) called for a division vote just as debate over the ministry’s portion of the Budget had been wrapped up, when there were few BN MPs present.

Opposition MPs were angered when Kiandee allowed BN reps to enter the hall instead of taking a vote with those who were present.

Nik Mazian said Manivannan’s move was a surprise, and that was probably why two PAS MPs had abstained from voting.

They were Idris Ahmad (PAS-Bukit Gantang) and Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang).

“It was a spontaneous move. (It was) never planned (but it) gave a fright to BN. I was surprised.

“Everyone made decisions there and then,” Nik Mazian said.

“We didn’t have a chance to discuss or to have a pre-council meeting, (so they voted) on what they felt,” he said when asked to explained why the two MPs abstained. – November 21, 2017.