Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) said this in response to deputy works minister Ahmad Maslan, who said he was “lazy” to answer questions from opposition MPs who did not support the 2026 budget during its second reading yesterday.

Fadhli said this was irresponsible, and Cabinet members should be taught to answer questions with “grace”.

“How can a deputy minister give such an answer? Whether one supports a bill or not is provided for in the Federal Constitution and the Standing Orders,” Berita Harian quoted him as saying during the debate on the 2026 supply bill at the committee stage today.

Earlier, Ahmad had taken a shot at opposition MPs for not supporting the bill at its second reading yesterday despite having asked for allocations for their constituencies.

The bill was passed at its second reading through a bloc vote, with 120 MPs voting in favour and 67 against. Thirty-five MPs were absent.

Responding to Islahuddin Abas (PN-Mersing), who asked what the works ministry had planned for Mersing’s infrastructure development, Ahmad said: “Mersing is an opposition MP, and asks for much … Yesterday, the opposition did not support the budget, but they still ask for more.”

Fadhli also criticised the government MPs who were absent yesterday, saying they should also not receive any allocation.

“Of the 35 MPs absent, only one was from the opposition.

“If the minister or deputy minister is too lazy to answer questions from opposition MPs because they did not support the budget, those who were absent yesterday should also not receive any allocation.

“This includes Tambun (Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim), who was not present to support his own motion, and finance minister II (Amir Hamzah Azizan),” he said.