OPPOSITION lawmakers took to social media to air their unhappiness about former prime minister Najib Razak debating Budget 2021 in Parliament, despite having been convicted for graft.

Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir tweeted whether it was a new norm to allow the Pekan MP – who was convicted of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust – to debate the national spending plan in the Dewan Rakyat.

“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?” the former Kedah Menteri Besar said in his tweet.

Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah said she walked out of the Dewan Rakyat in protest.

“Najib Razak was convicted of a graft case, but today, he was present as the chief of the Barisan Nasional Backbench Club and was debating Budget 2021 as if nothing had happened.

“I protest and have walked out,” the PKR MP tweeted.

In the chamber, RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) repeatedly raised points as Najib debated the Budget 2012.

He took exception to Najib’s allegations that the Pakatan Harapan government had squandered the country’s finances.

Rayer said there was no evidence of this and pointed the finger at Najib for swindling the country through 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

However, speaker Azhar Haron said Najib did not name any member of the previous administration when he made the allegations and therefore had not breached any standing order.

Rayer only stopped when Azahar warned him and told him not to disrupt proceedings.

Several BN members – including Abdul Azeez Rahim (Baling), Shahidan Kassim (Arau), Ramli Mohd Noor (Cameron Highlands) and Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub (Machang) – defended Najib and refuted Rayer’s arguments.

Najib was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million by Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28, which found him guilty of abusing his power in receiving RM42 million in funds from SRC International in 2014 and 2015.

He was convicted on seven charges: three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money-laundering and one count of abuse of power.

He was appointed as Barisan Nasional Backbench Club chairman ahead of the current parliamentary session.

The Malaysian Insight reported on November 1 that Najib’s appointment would give him a position in the Dewan Rakyat and put him in the thick of debates as Parliament meets to discuss Budget 2021.

“Najib was appointed recently ahead of the important Parliament meeting so he can direct the BN backbenchers in the house,” a source told The Malaysian Insight.

BN has 43 MPs with 20 in the cabinet, so the 23 backbenchers will drive debate on the budget with their speeches and reflect Umno’s budgetary demands. – November 10, 2020.