Ex-speaker questions move to allow ministers address PMQT, as Anwar prepares month-long trip

The former speaker of the Dewan Rakyat has questioned a decision to allow ministers to stand in for the prime minister during the weekly Prime Minister's Question Time (PMQT) to accommodate Anwar Ibrahim's foreign trips throughout November.

Azhar Azizan Harun said the move by Deputy Speaker Ramli Mohd Noor raised questions about the function of the two deputy prime ministers.

He said either Ahmad Zahid Hamidi or Fadillah Yusof should stand in for Anwar in the prime minister's absence.

"What happened to the deputies? Not one, but two deputy prime ministers. They should be able to fill in," Azhar told MalaysiaNow.

Azhar, who served as speaker from 2020 to 2022, also said the move defeats the real purpose of PMQT, which was first introduced in 2019 by the Pakatan Harapan administration under Dr Mahathir Mohamad as part of parliamentary reforms.

The special session, held every Tuesday morning since February last year, is an addition to the Ministers' Question Time (MQT) during the regular sittings of the Dewan Rakyat.

"The real intention was for the prime minister to come and answer questions. For ministers, they already have their question time everyday from 10am to 11.30am. If ministers too answer during PMQT, it defeats the whole purpose of PMQT.

"As far as possible, the PM himself should attend to differentiate between PMQT and normal question time," said Azhar.

Details of Anwar's month-long trip abroad were not immediately disclosed.

However, Azhar said that any meetings abroad planned for the prime minister should not clash with important parliamentary business, especially during the ongoing debate on the 2025 budget.

"I can't comment whether the trip is mandatory or not. I assume that the trip is mandatory and important," he added.

Since taking office, Anwar has made a record 39 trips abroad at a cost of RM13.7 million to the government, according to a recent parliamentary reply by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Zaliha Mustafa.