KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof today warned MPs that he would expel anyone who resorts to vulgar language, after a Barisan Nasional (BN) MP used an obscene term against DAP’s RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong).
“That is extremely discourteous, retract it or I will order you to leave. Don’t use such rude terms in this hall. Whoever voiced it, please retract it,” Ariff told Lipis MP Abdul Rahman Mohamad (BN-Lipis).
He said the word he uttered was worse than “kepala bapak”, which was used by Rayer in the Dewan Rakyat last week before he was asked to retract it by Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming.
“It doesn’t give any benefit to this august hall,” Ariff said.
He later decided to apologise and retract his offending word, but said he had wanted to “teach him (Rayer) a lesson”.
“So, it is all right, I will retract my offending word.”
Rayer had asked Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Ong Kian Ming whether the 1MDB scandal had affected foreign investments, to which Hamzah Zainudin (BN-Larut) said the question should not be directed to the deputy minister.
An angry Rayer then said, “Don’t make me use the term ‘kepala bapak’ again.” -FMT
Insults and profanities traded in the House
Lawmakers traded insults and profanities in the Dewan Rakyat this morning during a question about foreign direct investment (FDI) in Malaysia, which veered towards the topic of troubled state fund 1MDB.
International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Ong Kian Ming had just answered a question from Hamzah Zainuddin (BN-Larut) about foreign direct investments (FDI) in Malaysia, when RSN Rayer (Harapan-Jelutong) attempted to ask a follow-up question about 1MDB’s effect on such investments.
When Hamzah interrupted Rayer to state that 1MDB has little relation to the question, the Jelutong MP told him to be patient or he might use the word “kepala bapak” (your father’s head) against him.
Hamzah immediately cited the Dewan Rakyat’s Standing Order 36(4), which forbids MPs from using offensive language or making sexist remarks, and called for Rayer to retract the statement.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof concurred with Hamzah and asked Rayer to withdraw the insult.
As Rayer was in the midst of retracting his statement, Abdul Rahman Mohamad (BN-Lipis) uttered a highly offensive term (p*****k) without turning on his microphone.
The speaker, who heard the remark, said: “That is incredibly rude. Retract that statement or I will ask you to leave.”
“Do not use such profanities in this honourable house. Who said that? Retract your statement,” he added.
Abdul Rahman attempted to justify his remark, but the speaker turned off the lawmaker’s microphone and insisted that he retracted the statement.
“I have asked for you to retract that profanity. It is worse than ‘kepala bapak‘. It does not bring any benefit to this honourable house,” said Mohamad Ariff.
Abdul Rahman then agreed to retract the statement. The speaker thanked him and reminded Rayer to continue with the retraction of his earlier insult.
Though Rayer retracted his insult, Hamzah asked the speaker to extract a promise from Rayer not to repeat such remarks.
Rayer told Hamzah to stop interrupting him, though he later said “padan muka” (serves you right) to Hamzah.
This started a fresh argument, which Mohamad Ariff put a stop to by turning off all their microphones.
“This is a quid pro quo. Do not interrupt him and he will not use (insults).
“Do not extend this argument any further,” said the speaker, citing the lack of time left for the question-and-answer session.
After about five minutes of back-and-forth and a warning from the speaker to refrain from uttering insults, Rayer managed to ask his question on whether 1MDB had affected foreign direct investments in Malaysia.
Ong, who had been quiet throughout, said that no investor has formally expressed doubt about Malaysia over the 1MDB scandal.
However, the deputy minister said he was confident that the new government’s transparency, among others, would have a good effect on FDI in Malaysia. – MKINI
FMT / MKINI
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