PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has questioned why DAP lawmakers Nga Kor Ming and Yeo Bee Yin were absent from the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (March 10), although Nga managed to join a press conference for the Johor state polls.

       The Transport Minister said Nga was present for an 11am press conference with DAP's Johor state election candidate for the Yong Peng seat but failed to appear in Parliament to carry out his official duties.

       Dr Wee also questioned if DAP's national organising secretary Anthony Loke would reprimand lawmakers from his own party for their absence in the Dewan Rakyat.

       The Ayer Hitam MP said that Loke had lambasted him on Wednesday (March 9) for not being in Parliament to answer his oral question although Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Henry Sum Agong was in the House to answer the questions related to the ministry.

       Dr Wee said he was away on Wednesday (March 9) to review and resolve a flood issue that occurred due to construction works on the Twin Railway Project in Johor, which required his immediate attention.

       "On Thursday (March 10), oral questions from YB Nga and YB Yeo were listed as question number six and eight respectively in Parliament.

       "Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Lim Ban Hong and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mastura Yazid were ready to give answers to the two DAP MPs.

       "But, YB Nga and YB Yeo were not present in Parliament.

       "Strangely, at 11am this morning, YB Nga held a press conference with the DAP candidate for the Yong Peng state seat to criticise Barisan Nasional's candidate Ling Tian Soon and myself.

       "How come you were present for this but not for Parliament?" Dr Wee said in a statement on his Facebook page.

       Dr Wee wanted to know Nga's justification, saying that he was in good health but did not appear in Parliament to get answers to the questions that had already been compiled.

       Dr Wee also asked if Loke had taken the same stand and reprimanded the two DAP MPs for being absent.

       "Why are these two DAP MPs not present in Parliament to carry out their duties? Busy campaigning in Johor?

       "DAP, don't be ‘consistently inconsistent’," said Dr Wee.