DEBATE ON PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS (Business Motion)

The Leader of the House (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek your consent and the general assent of hon. Members to move a motion for an additional day, namely, tomorrow the 23rd February, 1977, to be allotted for the Debate on the Motion presently before the House?

Mr Speaker: I give my consent. Do I have the general assent of hon. Members?

Hon. Members indicated assent.

Mr Barker: Sir, I beg to move,

"That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, an additional sitting day, namely, Wednesday, the 23rd February, 1977, be allotted for the Debate on the Motion for an Address of Thanks to the President moved by the Member for Ulu Pandan on the 14th February. 1977."

Sir, Standing Order 14 (3) provides that five days be allotted for the debate on the Presidential Address. This is the fifth day of the present debate. Backbenchers and even Parliamentary Secretaries have responded with gusto to my request that they should speak freely in this House. Sir, in order to give Ministers more time than the 90 minutes provided in Standing Order 14 (4) to reply to the suggestion and criticisms made during the last four days. I so move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That, notwithstanding the Standing Orders, an additional sitting day, namely, Wednesday, the 23rd February, 1977, be allotted for the Debate on the Motion for an Address of Thanks to the President moved by the Member for Ulu Pandan on the 14th February, 1977.