ALOR SETAR:Simpang Renggam Member of Parliament, Dr Maszlee Malik was asked to first understand and review the rules of the Dewan Rakyat sitting before taking any action.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Parliament), Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said this includes his proposal to submit a motion to temporarily suspend government affairs to make way for a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister in the next sitting.

“Based on what is stated in the rules of the Dewan Rakyat, government affairs should come first.

"I asked him (Maszlee) to read the rules correctly, I think what he wanted to do is not right, the rules are clear, government affairs should be given priority,

“Under the law there are two things, one "general provision", another "specific provision"..."general provision" cannot overcome "specific provision"..."specific provision" among them is the affairs of government should be given priority, wanting to suspend the "standing order" is a "general provision", so it is good for him to study, (but) it does not matter, he is free to bring (any motion) in Parliament," he said.

Takiyuddin said this when met after attending a meeting with the Head of the Kedah State Federal Agency Department at Wisma Persekutuan, Anak Bukit, here on Tuesday.

On Monday, the former Education Minister claimed that there was another way a motion of no-confidence against the Prime Minister could be given way to a faster decision in the Dewan Rakyat.

Clearly, the way is to submit a motion under Rule 90 (2) requesting that the Dewan Rakyat postpone government affairs and give way to the motion to be read and decided first.

He further claimed that the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun, had previously made a mistake when stating that the only way for the motion to come first was through negotiations with the government.