G. MANIVANNAN (PKR-Kapar) has resigned as PKR secretary whip following the error made during the tabulation of the bloc vote on Budget 2018 last week.

He said in a statement today it was a human error.

“I have resigned as the secretary whip with immediate effect and already conveyed my resignation to chief whip Johari (Abdul) (Sg Petani),” he said in a statement today.

Manivannan said Julian Tan (DAP-Stampin) also accepted his apology.

“The officers (bentara parlimen) are supposed to assist. Though they calculated together with me but they didn’t highlight any omission and further failed to double check.

“The speaker agreed that the counting system is flawed. I have suggested for a better calculation system of ‘belah bahagi’ in future,” he said.

Earlier today, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia said G. Manivannan’s failure to sign off on Tan had led to his vote being discounted.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) could have brought the division vote on the Supply Bill portion for the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry to a tie if Manivannan had signed off on an extra vote by Tan.

Manivannan then admitted in Parliament that there was a mistake in the tabulation of votes from the opposition bloc.

Last week, he called for a division vote on the bill after the debate had just wrapped up.

Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee announced that the bill was approved by bloc voting with 52 MPs voting in support, 51 against and two abstaining. – November 27, 2017.