PAKATAN could have brought the division vote on the Supply Bill portion for the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry to a tie if a PKR MP had signed off on an extra vote by Julian Tan (DAP-Stampin).

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

“Manivannan Govindasamy, as leader of the bloc, failed to include Stampin’s Julian Tan.

“He was the one who verified the list of members who votes for the bloc,” Pandikar said today.

Last week, Barisan Nasional narrowly won the debate on a portion of Budget 2018 at the committee stage by one vote in the Dewan Rakyat after the opposition attempted to call for a division vote when few BN MPs were present.

Debate on the bill had just wrapped up when Manivanan called for a division vote.

Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee announced that the bill was approved by bloc voting with 52 MPs voting in support, 51 against and two abstaining. He said no provisions of the standing orders had been breached, saying there was no mention of the time frame or votes from those who came in late that should not be counted.

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

Pandikar said Standing Orders 47(3) allowed for members of Parliament who entered late to vote.

Pandikar also said the division vote held last week was in accordance with Standing Orders 46 and 47.

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

On Wednesday, Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) had sent a motion for the division vote to be re-evaluated.

In the motion, Gobind said Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainuddin went to the Dewan Rakyat secretary’s table during the counting process, which should not have been allowed.

Pandikar, however, said that the act did not affect the result of the division vote.

Pandikar said Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli (Amanah-Kuala Krai) had also gone to the secretary’s table during the voting process. – November 27, 2017.