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It was not on the Order Paper of the day. But Deputy Prime Minister came in to make a ministerial statement pursuant to the PM's tabling of the motion for the Mid-term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan, which was accomplished on Thursday.

It's an unconventional move as the DPM was to elaborate on details about the Mid-Term Review of the 9MP -- an integral part that should have been done by the PM himself last Thursday -- but wasn't -- when the DPM seconded the motion that the PM made, albeit incompletely.

However, the Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia invoked Standing Order #14(1)(i), which allows for "penerangan daripada menteri-menteri", to justify for the DPM to table his ministerial statement.

The Opposiiton, comprising MPs for Ipoh Timur and Bukit Glugor (DAP), Kubang Kerian, Kuala Selangor and Pokok Sena (PAS) and Batu (PKR), alerted the Speaker that it is a precedent that defies Westminster and Commonwealth convention, and thus improper.

There were also opinions that say having the DPM to table a ministerial statement would reflect the weakness of the PM for making an incomplete -- and weak -- motion last week; ( 2 ) it's a "second bite of the cherry" because the Government has missed the boat the last time. Also see Kit's blog for context and perspective on the implications of such decision by the Speaker.

Walk out en bloc

The long and short of it, the Speaker was insistent to invoke Standing Orders #43 and #99 to state that his decision to allow the DPM to table his ministerial statement is final. He challenged MPs who are dissatisfied with his ruling to table a substantive motion (usul bersendiri) to contest it.

In response, the Opposition (DAP and PAS) vowed to submit substantive motions to review the Speaker’s decision.

Subsequently, all Opposition MPs walked out when the DPM got to speak after all. We are displeased at the “reckless disregard of parliamentary practices, procedures and rules”.

The Opposition MPs will only re-enter Parliament when it is time for debate.

This is the first walk-out for the 12th Parliament after 21 days of sitting -- 16 days for the first which ended on May 28, and five for the current second sitting.

It suffices to say that the frequent invocation of Standing Order #99 will paint a dictatorial picture of the perusers.

UPDATES: theSun has a good account of the issue at hand.