KUCHING, Dec 13: Dato Sri Tiong King Sing has sought understanding from Senate president Tan Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar over his recent absence from the Dewan Negara proceedings, instead of openly causing disputes and misunderstanding.
As the Federal Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Tiong emphasised that he is never afraid of addressing Senate questions, and would have fulfilled his obligations to both Houses of Parliament if his schedules allowed him to.
He explained that his absence in the recent proceedings was due to a clash in schedules and thus, chose to prioritise his duties and responsibilities towards fostering the development of the tourism industry, which is a crucial driver of economic growth in Malaysia.
“I understand that some people may be disappointed that I was not present to answer questions in the Senate. However, I had to make a difficult decision towards my responsibility for the development of the tourism industry in Malaysia as the proceeding scheduled on Dec 5 clashes with the townhall session involving several hundred industry players that had been planned for months.
“As a Minister for Tourism, the work to promote Malaysia as a tourist destination is non-stop, and I have a number of important meetings and engagements scheduled in the coming weeks, which may coincide with the Senate sittings,” he said in a statement posted on his social media yesterday (Dec 12).
Additionally, Tiong disclosed his scheduled travel to China from Dec 9 to 20 for a tourism trade show as part of Malaysia’s sales mission which he had formally informed the Senate of his absence through written communication to the Senate President’s office.
In his absence, Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan was designated to respond to Senate queries who is fully qualified for the task.
He added that Wan Junaidi should understand well the demand of a ministerial post with a punishing schedule of meetings, dialogues and events, both locally and overseas and on top of obligations to the Cabinet and both Houses of Parliament.
“As members of the unity government, we should have a better understanding of each other’s roles. In order to keep the country’s overall development on track, both Houses and Cabinet ministers should complement each other and coordinate arrangements, rather than being fixated on rules and regulations.
“Now is a critical moment to help revive the national economy. Therefore, it is equally important to strive to benefit the country’s tourism industry and create a prosperous economic boom for the people, including in Sabah and Sarawak, which is the home of the Senate president,” he said.
“I hope Tan Sri Wan Junaidi will understand my decision. I am always willing to answer questions from the Senate, but again I believe that it is also important to prioritise my duties as a minister,” he added.
On Dec 11, Wan Junaidi questioned the attitude of some ministers who were absent from the Dewan Negara proceedings, saying “If the Prime Minister can attend (the proceeding), why can’t the minister do so?”
He reminded Cabinet members to respect the parliamentary institution by attending the question-and-answer sessions for their respective ministries which is crucial for clarifying matters raised by senators.
The matter arose following a query by Senator Amir Md Ghazali regarding Tiong’s absence from question-and-answer proceedings in the past eight months.
Wan Junaidi also urged ministries to provide accurate replies to questions posed by Senate members. — DayakDaily
