Govt procured ventilators via WhatsApp during Covid-19 pandemic, says PAC

PETALING JAYA: Deals on the emergency procurement of ventilators during the Covid-19 pandemic had to be done through WhatsApp due to the sheer urgency of the situation, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on the management of the Covid-19 outbreak revealed. The Committee found that 104 of the 136 ventilators supplied by Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd...

Perikatan not contesting Jepak by-election, to focus on Kemaman

PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional will not be contesting the Jepak state by-election in Sarawak on Nov 4, says Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin. "Perikatan will be fully focused on retaining the Kemaman parliamentary seat in Terengganu on Dec 2. "Perikatan component parties are also busy holding their annual general assemblies at division and national levels," said...

MPs no longer allowed to stream Parliament speeches live, says Speaker

KUALA LUMPUR: MPs will not be allowed to live-stream their speeches in Parliament using their own devices beginning Monday (Oct 16), says Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul. Johari said that Standing Order 35(1) requires MPs to direct their speeches to the Speaker chairing the session. “Looking at their devices isn’t abiding by the said Standing Orders. With...

Dr Wee and Tanjung Piai MP discuss Budget 2024 ahead of Parliament debate

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong is discussing preparations for the Parliament debate on Budget 2024 with Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng. Budget 2024 will be tabled on Friday (Oct 12), and its debate will begin on Monday (Oct 16). "Discussing with Tanjung Piai Member of Parliament," said Dr Wee on Facebook on Wednesday...

Opposition asks if pixman who claimed MP was vaping in the House has been called up

KUALA LUMPUR: Tanah Merah MP Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham wants to know if the photographer who claimed he was vaping in the Dewan Rakyat has been called up. Ikmal, from Perikatan Nasional, said the photo by a photographer from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had garnered over a million views. He said he had already declared that...

Only about 25% of MPs have had mandatory health checks, says Speaker

KUALA LUMPUR: Only 54 out of 222 Members of Parliament have undergone mandatory health checks, according to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul. "As of Oct 2, only 54 MPs, two Senators and two administrative officers have undergone the mandatory health checks. "This is a very low number. "I urge MPs to do their medical check-ups with...

PM: Madani Economy Framework replaced SPV after taking into account local context

KUALA LUMPUR: Justifying the government’s move to replace the World Bank-endorsed Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (SPV) with the Madani Economy Framework, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the decision was made after taking into account the local context and economic factors. The Prime Minister told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Oct 9) that while Malaysia benefitted from...

Tanah Merah MP to take legal action over vaping claim

PETALING JAYA: Tanah Merah MP Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz is considering taking legal action against the Prime Minister's photographer who claimed he was smoking an electronic cigarette while in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Sept 19). The Perikatan Nasional lawmaker said a police report would be made by his officers at the Dang Wangi...

PM to wind up 12MP Mid-Term Review debate this afternoon

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will wind up the debate of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) Mid-Term Review (MTR) in the Dewan Rakyat at 4.30pm Tuesday (Sept 19). “Thank you to all the MPs who participated in the debate since last week and insya-Allah, I will answer the questions raised this afternoon,” he...

Domestic trade portfolio to be filled soon, says Anwar

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has hinted that the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living portfolio in the Cabinet will be filled as soon as possible. Met by reporters after the One Million Al-Quran Waqf Solidarity event here on Friday (Sept 15), he said the post would be filled after several matters were taken...