A PAKATAN Harapan MP has asked if Perikatan Nasional (PN) lawmakers even submitted queries for prime minister’s question time (PMQT) in the Dewan Rakyat recently, after the opposition claimed leaders were denied the opportunity.

Taiping MP Wong Kah Woh suggested that if PN leaders had submitted a question, the issue would not have arisen at all.

“When PN complained of their three leaders having no chance to ask questions, the first question the coalition should answer is: did they ever submit any questions for PMQ?

The prime minister cannot “answer if there is no question submitted. Simple logic,” he said in a Facebook post today.

“The parliamentary process is such that even if you don’t submit any questions or your questions are not chosen, you still have the chance to stand up and ask a second supplementary question, or even the third supplementary question if allowed by the speaker.

“Both sides of the house will be given equal opportunity to ask supplementary questions,” Wong said.

The absence of opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has become a subject of debate.

On Tuesday, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil pointed out their failure to attend the sitting and grill Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on a slew of issues.

“This morning, Anwar is taking questions about his recent official visit to China, vape issues and contract doctors.

“Deputy prime ministers, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Fadillah Yusof, are also attending.

“Unfortunately, Hamzah, Muhyiddin and Hadi again did not attend and raise questions,” he said on Facebook and Twitter.

However, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan dismissed Fahmi’s jibes, while saying supplementary questions are only for backbenchers.

Wong rejected this argument and said it was convention for the speaker to allow the opposition leader to be given first refusal on a supplementary question.

“The same goes for senior party leaders and the PN trio fall into this category.

“However, when you are not in the Dewan Rakyat, you definitely have no chance to ask a supplementary question, regardless of your seniority.

“The prime minister has attended seven PMQTs in the eight weeks of the sitting, which ended recently.

“He answered more than 60 questions, including supplementary questions, from both sides of the house.

“The PN trio has had plenty of opportunity, but only if they are physically present in the House.

“We were expecting the opposition to be better,” he said. – April 7, 2023.