Nga says duty-bound to speak up after Bersih rebuke

Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Nga Kor Ming.

PETALING JAYA: Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming  says he is duty-bound in his capacity as DAP secretary-general and Teluk Intan MP to speak up against injustice, corruption and extremism outside of Parliament, after Bersih 2.0 urged him to stop “partisan politics” outside the house.

In its report on Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) first year in power earlier today, Bersih said Nga was “quite a good and fair deputy speaker”.

But its chairman Thomas Fann said outside of Parliament, Nga was a “different person, extremely partisan and controversial in his remarks”.

Speaking to FMT, Nga said his role as deputy speaker and a politician outside the house are two separate matters.

“Any political issue will remain outside the house,” he added.

However, he said he accepted Bersih’s view along with any criticism as “no one is flawless”.

“As a deputy speaker, I will continue to perform my duty without fear or favour, in accordance with law and order,” he said, adding that his record proves that he maintains full decorum in Dewan Rakyat proceedings.

“I wish to state that I will never hesitate to uphold the image and safeguard the dignity of Parliament which I have sworn to protect,” he said.

“This is definitely beyond partisan politics.”

He also urged all parties against mixing such politics with parliamentary proceedings, adding that the government is fully committed to parliamentary reforms and will continue to pursue them.

Earlier, Bersih noted that PH had promised that the speaker of the Dewan Rakyat would not be a member of a political party.

It said while Speaker Mohamad Arif Yusoff had fulfilled that requirement by quitting his party posts in Amanah, his deputies Nga and Rashid Hasnon have yet to follow suit.

Fann said he hoped by this time next year, Nga and Rashid would have retired from partisan politics.