PKR rep defends defiance on Budget 2021 vote

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 27 Nov 2020 9:35AM · 1 Comments

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim now risks disciplinary action for defying party president and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s instruction to allow Budget 2021 through the policy stage. – Facebook pic, November 27, 2020.

PKR’S Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said he was following his conscience as an elected representative when he stood up in support of the call for a bloc vote to pass Budget 2021 yesterday, The Star Online reports.

He was the sole PKR to have stood up along with Amanah and Pejuang MPs to support Amanah’s Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar’s call for a bloc vote on Budget 2021.

Hassan now risks disciplinary action for defying party president and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s instruction to the party’s 38 MPs to allow Budget 2021 through the policy stage.

He was quoted as saying: “I followed my conscience, not the party whip. I’m also ready for punishment”.

He declined to say if there was an order from the top PKR leadership to support the budget saying he could not reveal internal party matters.

All he would say was he had informed the party leadership that he would support the call for bloc voting.

For a bloc vote to be triggered, not fewer than 15 lawmakers must be seen standing in support.

Without the support, the voting would be a normal voice vote.

Only 13 MPs stood up in support of the bloc vote. – November 27, 2020.

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Comments

  • Towing the party lines should something of the past, as an elected representative of the RAKYAT he/she must first and foremost think the implication of their votes for the RAKYAT who voted for him/her. I salute Pasir Gudang MP En Hassan Abdul Karim and those who stood up as they had guts to put their mind across following his judgement call despite there's a whip on the subject. Kudos to you.

    Posted 3 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply