Two government whips - the MPs in charge of ensuring party discipline among peers on legislative matters - were absent during the vote on the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) yesterday.

They were Bersatu supreme council member Azmin Ali (Perikatan Nasional-Gombak) and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (BN-Bagan Datuk).

On the opposition side, its whip PKR’s Johari Abdul (Pakatan Harapan-Sungai Petani) was also absent.