THE opposition’s effort yesterday to nullify the Supply Bill portion for the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry has clearly failed as the vote was won with a “simple majority”, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Azalina Othman Said.

Azalina today said the opposition appeared to be unable to accept the decision and commenced to raise a ruckus in the Dewan Rakyat.

“The decision proves that democracy is still upheld in the honourable Dewan (Rakyat),” she said.

Azalina said the matter should not be politicised by any party.

“All parliamentary members should respect the decision because it was reached by a process prescribed in the Dewan Rakyat’s Standing Orders.

“I believe all members of Parliament will continue preserving the Dewan’s good name,” she said in a press statement today.

Yesterday, the  government narrowly won by a vote the debate at the committee stage on a portion of Budget 2018  in the Dewan Rakyat. https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/23788/

Debate over the bill had just wrapped up when G. Manivanan (PKR-Kapar) called for a division vote.

Chaos erupted when Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee asked that Barisan Nasional MPs be called in to vote.

Kiandee then nnounced that the bill was approved by bloc voting with 52 MPs voting in support, 51 against and two abstaining.

Kiandee said the division vote had breached none of the Standing Orders, which did not stipulate the time frame for a vote nor that the votes of latecomers did not count. – November 21, 2017.