This comes after Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azalina Othman Said this afternoon reprimanded Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz and his deputies, Shahar and Abdul Rahim Bakri, over their “absence” when the federal budget was being debated in the house.

In a tweet, Shahar uploaded a video clip of Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP Saifuddin Nasution Ismail acknowledging his presence in the hall.

“The question of my presence in the Dewan Rakyat today is spreading in social media. (You) can see the stories on my social media, my updates, I was in the Dewan Rakyat,” said Shahar in the tweet.

“Please watch the video of the speech by Kulim-Bandar Baharu MP in the comments section, in which he expresses his thanks and confirms my presence in the Dewan Rakyat today during the 2021 Budget debate.”

Jelutong MP RSN Rayer questioned why Tengku Zafrul and his deputies were not in the House when the budget was being debated today.

Azalina then insisted that one of them must be present in the Dewan to listen to issues raised over the national budget for next year, which was tabled by Tengku Zafrul last Friday.