The Taiping MP said there is a difference between “top leaders can’t ask questions” and “top leaders didn’t ask questions”.
He said it is parliamentary convention that if the opposition leader is to stand up and request to speak, or ask a supplementary question, he will be given the first priority. The same applies to those who are senior party leaders.
“However, when you are not there in the (Dewan Rakyat) chamber, you definitely have no chance to ask supplementary questions, no matter how senior you are. Simple logic,” he said in a Facebook post.
Wong was responding to PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who claimed yesterday that PN leaders are not able to pose their questions to the prime minister effectively even if they were present during Dewan Rakyat sittings.
He said PN’s top three leaders’ absenteeism in Parliament is moot, as most people often do not understand parliamentary procedures, especially during Prime Minister Question Time (PMQT).
Wong also questioned if PN’s top trio ever submitted any questions, saying that there would be no question to be answered if none was submitted in the first place.
He added that even if no questions were submitted, MPs still have the chance to ask supplementary questions, if allowed by the Speaker.
On Tuesday, Bersatu’s Wan Saiful Wan Jan brushed off criticism levelled at PN for the absence of its top brass from Parliament during Prime Minister Question Time, saying improvements to the process were necessary.
The Tasek Gelugor MP said the opposition leader and the leaders of parties within the coalition were not able to take part meaningfully in the session in its present form, as only MPs called on by the Speaker could ask questions during PMQT.
He said the Speaker would then allow one supplementary question, which must come from the person who asked the original question, and one additional question from the opposition.
Wan Saiful was responding to communications and digital minister Fahmi Fadzil, who took a swipe at opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang for their absence during PMQT on Tuesday.