Ministers to Answer Questions on Behalf of PM Anwar in Parliament
PM Anwar to miss Question Time as he is overseas for the whole of November
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be away for the whole of November, and ministers will respond on his behalf during Question Time in Parliament.
An official from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) confirmed this to Astro Awani on Sunday, October 30. The official said that this was the current plan, but it could change if needed.
Anwar to attend ASEAN, APEC, and G20 meetings
Anwar is set to attend several international meetings during November, including the ASEAN Summit, the APEC Summit, and the G20 Summit. The ASEAN Summit will take place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from November 10 to 13. The APEC Summit will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from November 18 to 19. The G20 Summit will take place in Bali, Indonesia from November 15 to 16.
This is Anwar's first time attending these meetings as Prime Minister. He is expected to discuss a variety of issues with other world leaders, including the global economy, climate change, and security.
Ministers to answer on Anwar's behalf
In Anwar's absence, ministers will take turns answering questions on his behalf during Question Time in Parliament. The ministers will be assigned to answer questions based on their portfolios.
This is a common practice when the Prime Minister is away. In the past, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has answered questions on behalf of former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
Opposition criticizes Anwar's absence
The opposition has criticized Anwar for planning to be away during such a crucial time in Parliament. The opposition leader, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, said that Anwar's absence showed that he was not serious about his responsibilities as Prime Minister.
Hamzah said that there were many important issues that needed to be discussed in Parliament, including the rising cost of living and the economic slowdown. He said that Anwar should have made arrangements to attend Question Time even if he was away.
Anwar defends his decision
Anwar has defended his decision to be away during Parliament, saying that it was necessary for him to attend these international meetings. He said that these meetings were an opportunity for him to promote Malaysia on the world stage and to discuss important issues with other world leaders.
Anwar said that he was confident that ministers would be able to answer questions on his behalf during Question Time. He said that he would be briefed on the questions that were asked and the answers that were given.
Conclusion
Anwar's absence from Parliament during Question Time is likely to be a controversial issue. The opposition has criticized Anwar for not being present, while Anwar has defended his decision to attend international meetings. It remains to be seen how the public will react to Anwar's absence.
