KUALA LUMPUR: The government must ensure they have enough lawmakers in Parliament to ensure they pass Budget 2020, says MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

"It is the government's duty to ensure they have enough MPs to endorse the budget.

"Out of 127 government lawmakers, why can't you get 40 to 60 MPs at any one time in the House if you don't want the Opposition to ambush you?" he told reporters at the Parliament lobby on Wednesday (Nov 27).

He said it was the duty of the Opposition MPs to keep the government on its toes.

"It is our duty to teach them a lesson, and I hope they have learned their lesson," he added.

Dr Wee, who is Ayer Hitam MP, also rubbished the "excuses" given to justify Pakatan's MPs absence during voting on the budget.

"There is no excuse for them to say they are new and have no experience or fatigued. To me this is rubbish and nonsense.

"Don't find excuses for your weaknesses," he said.

Dr Wee was responding to claims by some Pakatan lawmakers blaming Barisan MPs for trying to scuttle the allocation under the Budget 2020 meant for the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

"If you (the government) care for the people, you must get as many MPs to attend Dewan Rakyat to ensure that you can pass Budget 2020 as planned, instead of blaming the Opposition for not wanting the ministry to give money to the physically challenged and what-not," he said.

Dr Wee lamented that there had been previous occasions where there were a lack of quorum in the House, including ministers attending proceedings.

Earlier, when met at Parliament lobby, PKR parliamentary whip chief Datuk Johari Abdul played down an incident on Tuesday (Nov 26) night when the 2020 Budget for the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry was nearly defeated by a bloc vote.

Apart from describing the Opposition's attempt as an ambush, Johari cited fatigue as among the reasons causing Pakatan MPs to be absent from Dewan Rakyat proceedings.

In the first vote count, the ministry's allocation was approved with a four-vote majority after 32 backbenchers approved it with 28 opposition voting against it.

A second vote count saw Pakatan securing 45 votes against 28 Opposition votes.