KUALA LUMPUR: Chaos erupted in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Nov 18) when it was revealed the government was considering rewarding Datuk Seri Najib Razak with land and a home worth RM100mil.

       The incident was sparked after former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad stood up when Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz was wrapping-up his ministerial replies on Budget 2022, to ask if the RM100mil “gift” to Najib was part of the Budget.

       "All government expenditure under the Budget must be tabled in Parliament.

       "But there is an item which is not included which has become the talk of many.

       "It is related to a gift to a particular individual who is the former prime minister, YB Pekan.

       "He will be gifted land and a home worth RM100mil supposedly for his contributions to the nation.

       "This was not mentioned in the Budget and we want to know what are his contributions because as far as we know, he is a convict who has been sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined over RM200mil.

       "Is this the contribution which the government wants to reward?" Dr Mahathir asked.

       Dr Mahathir said it was made known to him that the RM60mil was for the purchase of a piece of land and RM40mil was to construct a home for Najib.

       "I understand that the Cabinet approved this.

       "You are part of the Cabinet, don't you know about it?" he said.

       Zafrul acknowledged there was an application submitted to the Cabinet.

       "It was not included in the Budget as the application was made after the Budget was tabled.

       "The matter is under discussions and a final decision has yet to be made," he said.

       When pressed further on details of the RM100mil, Zafrul said that the question should be directed to the Prime Minister's Department.

       He said the department was in charge of allowances and privileges accorded to former prime ministers as provided under the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980.

       Several other Opposition MPs also stood up to question Zafrul including Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman (Warisan-Sepanggar) who asked where the allocation would come from if it was not included in the Budget.

       Zafrul said a separate Bill would have to be tabled if there are any additional expenditures that were not included under the present Budget.

       Several Opposition MPs continued to badger Zafrul who wanted to go on with his ministerial replies.

       Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun ordered MPs to stop their interjection and sit down or he would boot them out of the House for refusing to do so.

       "Sit down, I am counting..one, two," he said amid the continued ruckus from the floor.

       He then ordered RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) to leave the House for 10 minutes.

       There was a tense moment shortly after Zafrul concluded his ministerial replies when the Budget was put to the House for a vote by Azhar.

       Several Opposition MPs from Parti Warisan Sabah were seen standing as Mohd Azis called on Azhar for a block vote.

       However, Azhar noted there were insufficient numbers of MPs required for a bloc vote to be held.

       A total of 15 MPs are required to call for a bloc vote, which involves votes being tallied.

       Azhar informed the House that Budget 2022 was passed at the policy stage by a voice vote after it was put to the House for a vote.

       Debates on the budget will resume at the committee stage this coming Monday (Nov 22).