Uproar in Dewan Rakyat over Keningau MP's alleged breach of quarantine

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman (Warisan-Sepanggar) sparked an uproar in the Dewan Rakyat today when he alleged that the member for Keningau, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, had breached the COVID-19 quarantine order by attending the sitting.

Mohd Azis claimed that Jeffrey attended the Sabah State Legislative Assembly sitting on Nov 12 and his presence in Parliament today meant that he did not complete the 14-day quarantine for those coming from Sabah.

“I have been staying in Kuala Lumpur for almost two months; I could not meet my children and wife because if I go back there I need to be quarantined for 14 days (on my return here). Going by the dates, Keningau (Jeffrey) should not be in this House.

“We (MPs) who are from Sabah abide by the Speaker’s directive on the standing orders, that we have to be quarantined in the peninsula for 14 days,” Mohd Azis said during the budget winding-up session.

To calm the situation, Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun said Jeffrey had obtained a ‘release order’ and his wristband had been cut by the Lembah Pantai District Health Office (PKD) on Nov 23 after his COVID-19 test turned out negative.

On the dispute over the quarantine period, Azhar said he would check with the Lembah Pantai PKD to get further clarification.

“Just now I have asked Keningau (Jeffrey) not to attend,” he added.

The controversy had erupted while Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said was chairing the second-day winding-up session, when Mohd Azis stood up to raise the issue. He was then followed by several other MPs from the opposition bloc who presented their views.

Among those involved in the argument were Teo Nie Ching (PH-Kulai) , Ahmad Fahmi Mohamed Fadzil (PH-Lembah Pantai) and Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka).

“I received an official answer from the Dewan Rakyat secretary. If Yang Berhormat are not satisfied with the result given by the Parliament Health Clinic and the release order from the Health Ministry, you can bring this matter to the Speaker,” Azalina said.

-- BERNAMA