Five DAP MPs must explain - The Star

BUKIT MERTAJAM: April 21, 2008

Five DAP MPs who failed to submit their questions to the Parliament will be asked to explain.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the five have been told to file a report on why they failed to submit their questions.

He said the action was taken to ensure this does not happen again.

“It is part of their duties to raise issues in Parliament. As far as DAP is concerned, we expect our wakil rakyat to do their duty,” Lim said when he visited the 149.7ha Penang Science Park in Bukit Minyak to see the progress of the project.

The five are Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy (Batu Kawan), Charles Santiago (Klang), Er Teck Hwa (Bakri), Hiew King Cheu (Kota Kinabalu) and John Fernandez (Seremban).

They were among 29 MPs from both the Barisan and Opposition who did not submit their questions to Parliament in time for its new session set to start next Monday.

Fifteen of these MPs were from the Barisan, five from DAP and nine from PKR.

Among the 29 were four former ministers and two former deputy ministers. All six could not be reached for comment, although their names have been revealed on the Internet.

Seven of the MPs are from Sarawak, six from Selangor, three from Sabah and Kedah respectively, two from Negri Sembilan and the Federal Territories, and one each from Terengganu, Pahang, Perlis, Perak, Penang and Johor.

Lim, who is also Penang Chief Minister, said he would wait for the MPs’ reports before deciding the next course of action.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh said the 29 MPs risked losing the confidence of their constituents and the opportunity to have their concerns answered.

“They must never to repeat the mistake to show that they take their role seriously,” he said of the five DAP MPs.

Karpal Singh, who is Bukit Gelugor MP, said those who had failed to submit questions would face a tough time playing a constructive role during Dewan Rakyat’s Question Time.

He said the 29 MPs would have to rely on their luck to be accorded the chance to ask supplementary questions.

“This is why it’s important for them to submit their questions because if not, they would rarely get the chance to ask a supplementary question or say anything at all within that tense one-and-a-half-hour session.,” he added.