PAKATAN Harapan should learn to behave like a government instead of acting like the opposition, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

The opposition leader said government MPs should study the Standing Orders and know parliamentary rules instead of heckling, which he said they did before as the opposition.

“I think they should learn more, especially on the Standing Orders.

“Don’t simply interject because they are no longer the opposition, they are in the government. I think they should act like one,” Zahid told reporters in the Parliament lobby after delivering part of his speech in the debate on the royal address.

The former deputy prime minister and Umno president was commenting on several PH lawmakers who interrupted his speech.

One of them, R.S.N Rayer (Jelutong) kept interjecting when Zahid was speaking about 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The session ended at 5.30pm without Zahid finishing his speech, which he will continue tomorrow.

The afternoon session of today’s sitting saw a largely empty hall with most government MPs absent from proceedings because of a cabinet meeting.

Only a few backbenchers were visible in a photo posted by Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin who highlighted the fact that not a single minister was present to listen to the opposition leader’s speech.

Khairy tweeted that the cabinet’s usual meetings on Wednesdays should be held on Fridays instead, as practiced by the previous Barisan Nasional government during Parliament sittings.

“The government front bench is completely empty. Not a single minister in the house to listen to the opposition leader’s speech.

“I know there is a cabinet meeting today. I suggest to the PM (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) that cabinet meetings be held on Fridays instead so that Parliament’s proceedings are respected,” Khairy said.

Parliament does not sit on Fridays, he noted, and the cabinet can also resume convention of holdings its Wednesday meetings when the house is not in session. – July 18, 2018.