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THE Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul has ruled out any move to compel Members of Parliament to attend sittings, despite growing concern over chronic absenteeism among elected representatives.
Speaking after a dialogue session with the Malaysian Bar Council, Johari acknowledged that a number of MPs were frequently absent from proceedings, although some absences were due to legitimate health reasons.
What concerned him most, he said, were those with no such justification.
“What worries me is that many who are not ill or sick, yet still do not attend,” he remarked.
Johari offered a frank characterisation of parliamentary conduct, saying MPs fall into “three categories – the good, the bad and the ugly.”
“The good ones are those who always attend Parliament and participate in debates, which I thank for their efforts; the bad ones are MPs who also attend Parliament but always complain about things.
“And the worst are the ugly ones who don’t attend but go up on stage to talk as though they are attending Parliament every day,” he said.
Recent media reports placed Marang MP Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang at the bottom of the attendance list, with a rate of 29.8%, having turned up for only 67 sitting days.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein followed with 68 and 82 days respectively. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recorded a 47.6% attendance rate, appearing for 107 days.
Asked whether disciplinary action could be taken against MPs who fail to show up without proper cause, Johari confirmed that no such mechanism exists under the Standing Orders.
“I do not intend to change the rules to make attendance compulsory. The MPs had stood in the elections and made promises to the people.
“The onus is on them,” he said, adding that it would be “a mockery” for him to act like a headmaster “with a cane.” Ultimately, he said, it is voters who will “punish them in the future.”
Turning to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Johari stressed the need for more open public engagement before the government decides its fate.
“I am encouraging open discussions. Whatever decision on Sosma will depend on what the stakeholders want, be it better enforcement of the law or its abolishment,” he said.
Sosma has long been criticised by civil society, with calls for reform or repeal intensifying in recent years.
On Friday, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay argued that preventive laws such as Sosma should not be abolished, insisting that the state must balance human rights with national security.
Last week, the Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Election and Institutional Reform tabled eight proposed amendments, including revisiting the 28-day detention period as well as the statutory definitions of security offences, terrorism-related crimes and organised crime under the Act. - December 11, 2025