KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — The National Security Council (NSC) insists no law was broken in allowing three MPs who attended the third reading and vote for Budget 2021 in Parliament today despite being issued a home quarantine order.
Conveying the NSC’s message, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri said the three had tested negative for Covid-19 but were only advised to observe quarantine as they had been in close contact with infected persons.
“The right to vote in Parliament is a constitutionally guaranteed right, so they have the right to vote in the Parliament.
“And the rule of voting in Parliament is to be physically present and cannot be done online for example. So we allowed it because they have the right to vote,” the minister said in a press briefing today.
It is understood the three were Tenggara MP Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba who is also the health minister, Tapah MP Datuk Seri M. Saravanan who is also human resources minister, and Batu MP P. Prabakaran from PKR who had been issued a 14-day home surveillance order.
Ismail said the MPs were required to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) and separated from other lawmakers in Parliament.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun allowed three MPs observing home quarantine for Covid-19 to attend the Budget Supply Bill voting yesterday.
Azhar said that those lawmakers need to get their permission from the health ministry alongside being required to travel with an ambulance, wear full PPE and to be placed in a special room.
However, the Opposition MPs raised an outcry and walked out of the House during the bloc vote.
