PARLIAMENT | Awang Hashim (Perikatan Nasional-Pendang) has been ejected from the Dewan Rakyat for two days under orders from speaker Johari Abdul.
This comes after Awang repeatedly interrupted Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli’s winding-up speech despite the minister not giving way to the former.
According to the Standing Orders, one may only speak up during a parliamentarian or minister’s allotted time if they allow it.
This makes Awang the first MP to be ejected from the Dewan Rakyat in this session of Parliament.
Earlier in Rafizi’s speech, Awang and several other PN lawmakers had attempted to interrupt the minister’s speech, prompting Johari to warn that the next time someone speaks up without permission, they would be kicked out from the House.
While the warning calmed the lawmakers down for a while, a few minutes later, the Pendang MP tried to speak up during Rafizi’s speech again, leading to the exchange below:
Rafizi: Pendang, if you want to be a clown, find another minister who is speaking, not me, because I have important things to talk about.
Awang: This is in bad faith. (Using the word) clown.
Johari: Pendang, out now. Out, Pendang. Two days.
Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN-Pengkalan Chepa) then pointed out Rafizi used the word “clown” which was not suitable speech for the Dewan Rakyat.
“I did use the word clown but compared to everything that has been thrown at us thus far…” Rafizi said in defence.
Marzuk responded by calling the ejection decision unfair and urged an incensed Johari to “chill”.
“I said, if the minister does not give way to speak, Pendang, do not stand up because the minister did not give way. But he still stood up.
“I have said it multiple times. Once, twice, he sat down but then he stood up again. I am seen as being unable to control the House because the rakyat wants to hear what we are discussing.
“That is why, Pendang, today and tomorrow, please (leave),” Johari said.
Rafizi retracts ‘clown’ remark
Awang then insisted Rafizi withdraw his comments of calling him a clown.
Johari instructed Rafizi to retract the word to which Rafizi complied, saying “I withdraw calling Pendang a clown and Pendang can leave (the House)”.
Awang took issue with Rafizi asking him to leave as it is not within the scope of the minister’s power.
“I will leave, but I want him to retract ‘Pendang, leave’,” Awang said, prompting more chaos in the House from both sides of the aisle.
After Johari pacified the House, he started saying, “Pendang, respectfully…” before getting angry again, slamming his hand on the table and shouting, “Pendang, you are telling me, I am asking you to get out”.
The speaker then chided members of the House to keep quiet as Awang left the Dewan Rakyat.
Following this, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian) calmly urged people not to provoke others in the House.
“When a name is mentioned, the person mentioned will want to respond, which will not pacify the situation. So I think just get to the point and answer, and do not provoke,” he said.
At the start of Rafizi’s speech, the minister had singled out Awang and quipped that the Pendang MP should sit down and not “leave” the House during his speech as he wanted to answer issues Awang raised.
It was then that Awang began to interrupt Rafizi’s winding-up speech on the Budget 2023 debate.
‘Unfair’
After the chaos in the Dewan Rakyat, a number of PN lawmakers later held a press conference at the Parliament lobby about Awang’s ejection.
Tuan Ibrahim said Rafizi was the one who mentioned Awang several times in his speech which was why the latter wanted to respond.
“I feel it is unfair that Pendang was not allowed to respond so that is why this is among what I meant by provocation.
“The minister should focus on what parliamentarians raised in their debates,” added the PAS deputy president.
Tuan Ibrahim said Rafizi had also given inaccurate data about the amount of funding given to projects in PN-led states including Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis.
They will refer this matter to Johari to decide tomorrow as they claim Rafizi had made a confusing statement against the Standing Orders.
Several other PN lawmakers, such as Marzuk, Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (Bachok), Mohd Radzi Md Jidin (Putrajaya) and Wan Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (Machang) stressed that they were only trying to get Rafizi to answer issues in the budget that they raised.
They lamented that the minister kept provoking them instead of responding to their legitimate questions. - Mkini
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