Shouts of ‘memalukan’ – and Rayer gets kicked out

  

KUALA LUMPUR: Shouts of “memalukan” (shameful) echoed in the Dewan Rakyat today as opposition MPs hit out at Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Rashid Hasnon over his decision to reject motions to replace speaker Azhar Azizan Harun.

The ensuing drama over the matter also saw RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) being ejected from the Dewan Rakyat and suspended for two days.

Rayer had questioned Rashid over what he said was lack of transparency in rejecting the motion.

“Why is there no transparency in the motion to replace the Speaker?” Rayer asked, calling the reply from Rashid shameful.

Rashid then demanded that Rayer retract the word but he refused and was then suspended.

After the suspension was announced, one opposition MPs sarcastically asked if this was among the parliamentary reforms the government was planning.

Rashid was heard saying Rayer was suspended for using the word shameful.

“I have dignity too. He used the word shameful,” Rashid said.

This led to all opposition MPs continuously jeering “shameful” in unison.

The opposition MPs were unhappy after Rashid said he had given a written reply to those who submitted the motion for the Speaker to be replaced.

He also said the motion submitted by Amanah and PKR MPs did not follow certain regulations and had been rejected, adding that no appeals were made.

As opposition MPs continued to demand for transparency over the rejection of their motions, Rashid said since he had given a written reply, he did not need to do so in the House.

Earlier, opposition MPs had demanded that Azhar reply if their motion was accepted but Azhar said he had recused himself in the matter.

He then called for Rashid to take over the sitting.

On Aug 13, Amanah said they had submitted a motion to remove Azhar as the Speaker. Opposition MPs have also called Azhar a lapdog, claiming that his decisions all favoured the government.- FMT