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The columnist believes that the second item in agenda of a meeting of Parliament after the prayers should be the reciting of the Rukun Negara by the honourable MPs. — Bernama photo
KUCHING (March 3): The Dewan Rakyat’s bid to limit the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years fell short, with several government MPs absent from the crucial vote, including Julau MP Datuk Larry Sng, who later explained he was caught in traffic while returning to Parliament.
According to a Free Malaysia Today (FMT) report, Sng said he supported the bill but could not make it in time.
“I was on my way back to Parliament from an engagement but was stuck in traffic,” he said, adding that he supported the bill.
The constitutional amendment failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed, with 146 MPs in favour, 44 abstaining, and 32 absent.
The amendment required at least 148 votes to pass.
Sng was among eight government bloc MPs absent during the vote, alongside Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Tapah MP Datuk Seri M Saravanan, Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong, Libaran MP Datuk Suhaimi Nasir, Tenom MP Riduan Rubin, and Keningau MP Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
Syed Abu Hussin told FMT that he deliberately skipped the vote, saying: “I want Anwar Ibrahim to remain as prime minister for as long as possible.”
Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Alice Lau later in a Facebook post confirmed that eight MPs from the government bloc were absent, while all Pakatan Harapan MPs were present and backed the bill.
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