KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun has responded swiftly to calls for an emergency debate on the flash floods that hit the Klang Valley on Monday (March 7).
Although bound by Standing Orders that allow him 24 hours to reply to a notice for an emergency motion to debate an issue, Azhar said he agreed that the matter should be raised in Parliament.
“Bukit Bintang, I received your proposal last night at 10pm, and Lembah Pantai I received your proposal at 10am this morning, so technically I still have 24 hours.
“Preliminarily, I will allow for this issue to be discussed but I can't allow it to be discussed right now because it requires a 24-hour notice,” he said on Tuesday (March 8).
Azhar also said that as there were two proposals on the same issue, he would allow for it to be discussed together.
Fong Kui Lun (PH-DAP) raised the issue after flash floods caused destruction in the Klang Valley on Monday (March 7).
The Bukit Bintang MP had said many cars were affected by the flash floods, adding that this caused financial damage for Malaysians ranging from the hundreds to the thousands of ringgit.
“This issue is of importance for us to debate. I have also discussed this with the Federal Territories Minister and even he agreed for this to be raised (in Dewan Rakyat).
“As such, I ask for priority to be given to this issue,” Azhar said in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (March 8).
Fahmi Fadzil (PH-Lembah Pantai) concurred, saying that the issue should be debated in Dewan Rakyat.
He said those who were affected in the floods in December last year were the same people who had been affected on Tuesday.
“I urge for your goodwill to allow this debate, and my hope is that not just the Federal Territories Minister but also the minister in charge of the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the Environment and Water Minister provide explanation to this matter as all three ministries are interconnected,” he said.