Kuala lumpur: The decision by Opposition Members of Parliament to stage a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat has been described as more of a political protest strategy than a genuine effort to address issues concerning Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Social Sciences lecturer Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian stated that leaving the debate on an issue as significant as TH risked creating a narrative that the Opposition did not care about the trust and interests of TH depositors. He suggested that the walkout was primarily a political protest over the Prime Minister's absence rather than being solely focused on TH. Sivamurugan argued that remaining in the chamber to debate and raise critical questions could have been a more effective strategy.

He highlighted that the fact some Opposition MPs chose to remain in the chamber indicated differing assessments within the Opposition bloc regarding the effectiveness of the walkout. Sivamurugan emphasized that walking out only provided publicity advantages, whereas substantive debate could have put official arguments on record for the benefit of the people.

Sivamurugan also mentioned that while the walkout served as a political signal, it could have been strengthened by accompanying it with arguments, figures, and concrete proposals. He pointed out that Parliament's role as a check and balance requires a continuous record of arguments rather than symbolic actions alone.

In conclusion, Sivamurugan noted that while a walkout might generate publicity, debate creates a valuable record in a system of political checks and balances. He argued that the symbolism of leaving the chamber could undermine the Opposition's narrative by neglecting the opportunity to debate the TH issue.

Members of Parliament from Perikatan Nasional (PN), including Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, and other notable figures such as PN Chief Whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and PN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Samsuri Mokhtar, participated in the walkout. The protest followed a proposal by Takiyuddin to adjourn the special sitting due to the absence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who were reportedly undergoing treatment for health issues.

The special sitting was intended to provide MPs with an opportunity to examine the TH RCI report, which was made public on July 29 after the government decided its findings should be disclosed to the people.