KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Opposition lawmakers walked out almost immediately after today’s special parliamentary sitting on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Tabung Haji convened.

Earlier, Kota Bharu MP Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the sitting should be deferred until the prime minister recovers and resumes his duties.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is currently undergoing physiotherapy treatment after undergoing an elective laparoscopic surgery procedure to treat a para-umbilical hernia.

“if we debate without the prime minister, it is just as good as doing a press conference,” Takiyuddin, who is also the Opposition’s chief whip, told the Dewan Rakyat today.

“The Speaker himself confirmed that the status of today’s sitting is only a ministerial briefing. The government has also confirmed that there will be no voting today,” he added.

Meanwhile, Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim questioned why the RCI report did not include clarifications from Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng when the investigation covered between 2014 to 2020.

Lim served as the finance minister in the first Pakatan Harapan government from May 2018 to February 2020.

A commotion briefly ensued between Shahidan and Hulu Langat MP Mohd Sany Hamzan, when the latter intervened to stress that the sitting should proceed as scheduled.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul later clarified that the sitting will proceed in line with Standing Order 11(3) and that deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and other Cabinet ministers were present in Anwar’s absence to represent the government.

During a separate press conference with PN lawmakers later, Takiyuddin also questioned why the report was not tabled and debated in the Parliament before it was declassified for the public.

He said PN had already submitted a letter to the Speaker’s office yesterday requesting for the postponement.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin questioned Anwar’s rationale of disclosing the report now after withholding it for years on the grounds that it could erode the confidence of the Malays.

When asked if Bersatu would also join the walkout, Hamzah said: “I don’t know about that. This was discussed among us (Pas and Parti Wawasan Negara).

At the time of writing, Bersatu lawmakers were still present in Dewan Rakyat.