Umno MP's switch to Tamil leaves speaker speechless

In the midst of a passionate debate on the controversial amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act 1959, a running exchange in Tamil between two MPs left the speaker of the Dewan Rakyat feeling lost.

This was probably the first time that such an extensive exchange in the Tamil language has taken place in the House.

Ironically, it was an Umno MP, Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling, left), who started the exchange.

G Manivannan (PKR-Kapar) had interjected to touch on the death of Chin Peng, the former secretary-general of the Communist Party of Malaya, last month.

"The (dead) Sulu terrorists in Lahad Datu were buried in Malaysia. Why couldn't we bury Chin Peng here when we could bury the Sulu terrorists? They were also terrorists," Manivannan said in Malay.

Azeez stunned the House by responding in Tamil: “Dei thambi (hey, younger brother), (Chin Peng) died in Bangkok, these men died in Sabah.”

Appearing amused, Manivannan responded in Tamil to call Azeez "anna" (big brother) and stressed that the ashes of the Sulu gunmen could be sent back to their country of origin.

Azeez continued in Tamil, saying there is no reason to return the Sulu gunmen's ashes since their remains are buried here.

Both MPs then had to explain their exchange to speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia (left), who wore a smile throughout the five-minute exchange. 

In the middle of the repartee, Pandikar chimed in to say he could not make a ruling on what was being said because he could not understand the language.

Dr Hatta Ramli (PAS-Kuala Krai) stood to say he thought he was in the "New Delhi Parliament" and not in the Malaysian Parliament.

All this brought a little respite to the proceedings and defused some of the tensions surrounding the debate.

Met later at the Parliament lobby, Manivannan said the exchange in Tamil might continue should Azeez interject when he debates the amendments to the PCA.