Dr Zaliha Mustafa criticised Opposition MPs for walking out of the Tabung Haji RCI sitting, saying they should have stayed to scrutinise and debate the report.
KUALA LUMPUR: The opposition’s walkout from today’s special Dewan Rakyat sitting showed it was not serious about the Royal Commission of Inquiry report on Lembaga Tabung Haji, MADANI Government Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said.
She described the protest, staged before Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Religious Affairs Dr Zulkifli Hasan was due to brief MPs on the report, as deeply disappointing.
“For so long, they have spoken as though they were the strongest champions of Islam and the interests of Muslims. Today, when Parliament gave them the opportunity to question, challenge, rebut and debate every RCI finding, they chose to walk out.
“So I ask: who really does not want the Tabung Haji issue debated?” she posted on Facebook.
Zaliha, who is also Sekijang MP, said the opposition should have challenged any disputed RCI findings or government decisions in Parliament with facts and arguments, including if it wished to defend any party.
“Do not speak outside about transparency, trust, Islam and the interests of Muslims, only to walk out when the time comes to confront the facts in Parliament.
“What is even more disappointing is that this happened while we were debating a report concerning the management and stewardship of Tabung Haji depositors’ money. This is not a minor issue, nor is it a platform for a political stunt,” she said.
The PKR vice-president said opposition MPs who were genuinely serious about protecting Muslim interests should have remained in the chamber to scrutinise the report and debate the points they disputed.
“When they themselves choose to walk out, the public has every right to ask: what does the opposition actually want?” she said.
Opposition MPs staged a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat and boycotted the ministerial briefing session after objecting to Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul’s decision to proceed without the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Earlier, Perikatan Nasional chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan proposed that the special sitting be postponed following the absence of Anwar and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who are both receiving medical treatment for health issues.
