Dewan Rakyat adjourns after 25-day meeting

An attempt by some visitors to assault Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad in the compound of Parliament House today stole the limelight from the tabling of a motion by PAS president and Marang MP Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang on the last day of the third meeting of the fourth session of the 13th Parliament.

Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Ismail Mohamed Said adjourned the meeting which began on Oct 17 that saw Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tabling Budget 2017 totalling RM260.8 billion on Oct 21.

The commotion in the compound of Parliament House is believed to be the consequence of a verbal exchange in the house on Nov 21 between Khalid (Amanah-Shah Alam) and Datuk Seri Tajudin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak).

Khalid allegedly used a derogatory word on Tajuddin after the deputy minister of agriculture and agro-based industry had made an insulting remark in reference to the surname of Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh).

As soon as Khalid arrived at the Parliament lobby today, a group of people ridiculed him and attempted to rush at him but were kept at bay by the Parliament security guards.

During the 25-day meeting, the Dewan Rakyat approved, among others, the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) (Amendment) Bill 2016, Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Bill 2016, Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill 2016 and Civil Aviation (Amendment) Bill 2016.

Abdul Hadi, who had tabled a motion to seek the approval of the house to table a Private Member's Bill seeking amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, sought to provide an explanation on the proposed amendments at the next session of the Dewan Rakyat.

He said the proposed amendments had to be well understood and that there were still confusion and polemics about it among various quarters.

The Dewan Rakyat adjourned sine die. --Bernama