In a phone interview with KiniTV, the PKR Wanita chief said: “I think that sometimes we are tired and close our eyes.

“It’s not that we’ve fallen asleep, but just to rest and pass the time, while listening…

“This is what people refer to as dozing off.”

Drawing from her own experience, the Ampang MP instead called on citizens to be mature and understand that parliamentarians were not God and this is a normal human trait.

“It’s not an embarrassment but we must also look at other aspects, such as how the person fulfils his responsibility, serves the public, and performance in Parliament.

“To me, these things hold greater importance.”

The issue of leaders sneaking forty winks during official functions became a topic of contention when social media pundits began circulating a video of newly-minted Kedah Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah nodding off on more than one occasion, including his swearing-in ceremony yesterday, and taunted him with the nickname “Sleepyhead”.

In response, a compilation of photos featuring Pakatan Harapan leaders such as Anwar Ibrahim, Khalid Samad and Lim Guan Eng nodding off in Parliament was circulated today.