NANCY SHUKRI, THIS IS NOT PASAR-MALAM WHERE YOU CAN BARGAIN – THIS IS PARLIAMENT: FORMER MINISTER GETS DRESSING DOWN, RETRACTS ‘GREEDY BEGGARS’ STATEMENT

 Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming

KUALA LUMPUR – Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming  gave Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (GPS-Batang Sadong) a dressing down in Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Dec 5).

Nga had asked Nancy to retract a statement accusing Lim Guan Eng of calling the people of Sarawak as “greedy beggars” when debating Budget 2020 on Oct 14, but the senior lawmaker had refused to do so unless the Finance Minister apologised.

“I will only retract if YB Bagan (Lim) apologises to the people of Sarawak,” a defiant Nancy said when asked for a retraction by Nga.

“This is not a pasar-malam where you can bargain.

“This is Parliament, the nation’s noble and highest legislative body,” Nga told Nancy.

Earlier, Nga said that Lim had denied making the insult on Oct 15.

Lim had accused Nancy of breaching Standing Order 36(6) which prohibits a lawmaker from making a malicious assumption against a fellow lawmaker while in the House.

Nga said that both him and Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof had considered Nancy’s written explanation over the issue on Wednesday (Dec 4), and ruled that she had made a malicious assumption against Lim.

Nga reminded Nancy that she had been given the opportunity to explain, and the Speaker’s decision on the matter was final.

Nancy continued arguing her case against Lim but Nga refused to allow her to do so.

“If he didn’t say it, it would not be right to ask him to apologise,” he said, adding that it was wrong to put words into peoples’ mouths when they never uttered such words.

“As an honourable member of the House, the most appropriate thing to do is by retracting your statement.

“You not being asked to make an apology, but merely a retraction” Nga added.

Nancy insisted she had a right to speak on behalf of the people of Sarawak as an elected MP from that state.

“This is a personal issue.

“Don’t link it to the people of Sarawak,” Nga said, adding that Order 36(6) was enacted to protect the sanctity of the House.

Nancy finally retracted her statement but said she was doing so under force.

– ANN