Azalina just makes it to answer a question
The Star (21/5/08): The Government bloc narrowly escaped embarrassment when Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said managed to slip into the Dewan at the last minute to take a question.
Norah Abd Rahman (BN – Tanjong Manis) had stood to ask an original question when the MPs realised that neither the minister nor deputy were present to answer.
At this point, Mahfuz Omar (PAS – Pokok Sena) stood up as a low rumbling of “mana mentri?” (where is the minister?) sounded from the Opposition bloc.
However, Azalina was then seen running into the Dewan, leading to Mahfuz to comment that he “was about to reply on the ministry’s behalf.”
Replying to Norah, Azalina said the number of foreign tourists who visited Sarawak last year had increased by 19.9% compared
to 2006. “Some 2.43 million people visited Sarawak last year,” she said.
Meanwhile, Opposition MPs failed to cite Azalina to be referred to the Committee of Privileges twice for apparently “misleading the House” in her reply while winding up the debate on the motion of thanks on the royal address.
Azalina had chided Azmin Ali (PRK – Gombak) for alleging that tourism activities in Opposition-led states were not supported by the ministry.
However, Azmin read out a memorandum that tourism offices in these states – Perak, Penang, Selangor, Kelantan and Kedah – were instructed to drop signature events and were also not included in the calendar of events.
Azmin, supported by Lim Kit Siang (DAP – Ipoh Timur) then said MPs should be allowed to vote for a proposal to have Azalina referred to the Committee of Privileges for misleading the House.
Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee ruled that Azalina was still replying and that she had not reached the stage for a referral.
When she resumed her reply in the afternoon, Datuk Wan Abd Rahiman Abdullah (PAS – Kota Baru) stood up to cite Azalina to be referred to the same committee again over her reply that tourism officers from Kelantan had not been paid for three months.
Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia ruled for both parties to submit a written reply on the matter
Norah Abd Rahman (BN – Tanjong Manis) had stood to ask an original question when the MPs realised that neither the minister nor deputy were present to answer.
At this point, Mahfuz Omar (PAS – Pokok Sena) stood up as a low rumbling of “mana mentri?” (where is the minister?) sounded from the Opposition bloc.
However, Azalina was then seen running into the Dewan, leading to Mahfuz to comment that he “was about to reply on the ministry’s behalf.”
Replying to Norah, Azalina said the number of foreign tourists who visited Sarawak last year had increased by 19.9% compared
to 2006. “Some 2.43 million people visited Sarawak last year,” she said.
Meanwhile, Opposition MPs failed to cite Azalina to be referred to the Committee of Privileges twice for apparently “misleading the House” in her reply while winding up the debate on the motion of thanks on the royal address.
Azalina had chided Azmin Ali (PRK – Gombak) for alleging that tourism activities in Opposition-led states were not supported by the ministry.
However, Azmin read out a memorandum that tourism offices in these states – Perak, Penang, Selangor, Kelantan and Kedah – were instructed to drop signature events and were also not included in the calendar of events.
Azmin, supported by Lim Kit Siang (DAP – Ipoh Timur) then said MPs should be allowed to vote for a proposal to have Azalina referred to the Committee of Privileges for misleading the House.
Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee ruled that Azalina was still replying and that she had not reached the stage for a referral.
When she resumed her reply in the afternoon, Datuk Wan Abd Rahiman Abdullah (PAS – Kota Baru) stood up to cite Azalina to be referred to the same committee again over her reply that tourism officers from Kelantan had not been paid for three months.
Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia ruled for both parties to submit a written reply on the matter
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