Parliament adjourned briefly after fire alarm

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat sitting adjourned briefly this morning after a fire alarm during the oral question and answer session.

The fire alert was triggered at 10.18am while Padang Terap Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, was reading out his enquiry to the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun informed that the sitting was adjourned and all Members of Parliament including staff, officers and those in the Parliament building were ordered to leave.

At 10.32 am, the alarm rang again followed by an announcement asking everyone in the Parliament building to re-enter.

Azhar said there were possible technical problems and the cause of the incident was being investigated.

"Thank you, Yang Berhormat, for your cooperation. There were a few technical problems. The cause of the matter is being investigated," he said before continuing the question and answer session.

However, according to the Deputy Speaker, Datuk Rashid Hasnon, the warning was just a fire drill in Parliament.

"The bell rang again at 10.32 am and all MPs were asked to re-enter the Dewan Rakyat and the meeting resumed," he told Astro Awani.