SUNGAI Petani MP Johari Abdul has requested that Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Ismail Mohamed Said re-evaluate the decision on the Supply Bill portion for the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry.

He said there had been an error in the counting process on Monday night, with 52 lawmakers, instead of 51, from the opposition voting against the bill.

“I am standing to request (for a re-evaluation by) the deputy speaker, as there was an error in the counting process for the Supply Bill for the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry on Monday.

“It was announced that 52 people voted for the bill, 51 voted against the bill, and two abstained.

“However, after we checked again, those who supported the bill numbered 52, and those who voted against numbered 52, not 51,” said Johari in the Dewan Rakyat after the question-and-answer session.

Ismail replied that the results announced by Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee, the speaker in charge during the debate, were accurate.

“The division vote was held, and the votes were officially passed to the Dewan’s secretary.

“The secretary ensured that the number of votes was accurate, and (the results) were announced by the speaker (Kiandee) then.”

On Monday, the government won the debate on a portion of Budget 2018 at the committee stage by one vote, with chaos erupting in the House after the opposition attempted to call for a division vote when few Barisan Nasional MPs were present.

The results were announced by Kiandee after a few minutes of chaos, caused by G. Manivanan (PKR-Kapar) calling for a division vote just as the debate on the ministry’s portion of the budget was wrapped up, when there were few BN MPs present.

The two MPs who abstained were Idris Ahmad (PAS-Bukit Gantang) and Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang).

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said yesterday said the ruckus was because the opposition appeared unable to accept the decision. – November 22, 2017.