This is a Parliamentary WhoDun’It?

Who gave the directive to put up the barricade in Parliament on Tuesday to bar the reporters and photographers, leading to the 24-hour downing of tools and cameras by some 100 journalists boycotting all media conferences and events outside the debate in the parliamentary chamber?

The Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin said its not him. The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Nazri Aziz also said its not him. I believe both. Who then gave such a directive?

While this Parliamentary WhoDun’It awaits resolution, a parliamentary sideshow is being enacted.

The Malaysian Insider carried the following story, “Nazri dares backbenchers to get him sacked”, which was picked up by the print media, deepening the mystery as to who actually gave the directive to impose the barricades in Parliament treating journalists like “wild and dangerous beasts” who have to be caged and cabined!

Nazri dares backbenchers to get him sacked

KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz has upped the ante in his feud with the Barisan Nasional Back Benchers Club (BNBBC) over media curbs in Parliament, challenging them to get him sacked from the Cabinet.

“I am expecting the BBC to recommend to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to sack me as a minister,” said Nazri, who is minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and is in charge of parliament. The feud began when he accused the backbenchers for being childish and gangster-like for removing a security cordon that barred the media from the Parliament lobby last Tuesday.

The Parliament administration had placed the curbs and also restricted each media organisation to only five personnel for reporting duties, angering journalists and chief editors who decided to boycott events outside parliament business. Several BNBBC members removed the security cordon on Tuesday afternoon, persuading the media to stop their boycott.

“If they dare not do that on Monday, then shut up and don’t talk anymore,” Nazri said.

BNBBC chairman chairman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing told reporters the backbenchers were insulted by Nazri’s remarks, particularly after they had checked with both Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and Nazri about the barricade. Both claimed ignorance although Deputy Speaker Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar claimed it was a joint decision by the speaker and his two deputies.

Tiong disclosed that the BNBBC would meet on Monday for their next course of action as Nazri had gone overboard with his statements. The feud between Nazri and the BNBBC is another headache for embattled Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who is facing almost daily calls to quit and a threatened no confidence vote by two BN lawmakers from Sabah.

The New Straits Times today carried this report:

Nazri challenges BN backbenchers club to have him sacked
By V. Vasudevan
2008/06/28

KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has challenged the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) to get him sacked from the cabinet. This is Nazri’s latest salvo at the BNBBC which is meeting on Monday to decide on its next course of action against Nazri, who had described the club as being “childish and gangster-like” when it removed barricades put up by parliament security in the Dewan Rakyat lobby last Tuesday.

“I am expecting the BNBBC to recommend to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to sack me as a minister. If not, they should just shut up,” said Nazri, who is still peeved over last Tuesday’s events when contacted by phone yesterday.

Nazri said the BNBBC’s behaviour on Tuesday was unacceptable. The security cordon was to restrict access to the Dewan Rakyat lobby and had resulted in a media boycott of all lobby activities such as press conferences and interviews.

Nazri said the BNBBC should not have felt inferior to the opposition, which had championed the media’s rights in the house.

“Look at the opposition, they raised it in the chamber and then they took it up with the speaker in his office.

“If they felt they were bested in the issue by the opposition, who is to be faulted here?”

Nazri said the behaviour of the BNBBC was unacceptable as both deputy speakers had already indicated in the house that the decision to cordon off the lobby from the press would be reviewed by the speaker.

“Against this assurance, they went and did what they did without any regard for procedure.”

The BNBCC, like their opposition counterparts, felt peeved with the barricades and decided to remove it themselves.

“Nobody seemed to know whose instruction it was to put up the barriers. We checked with everyone and all said they did not know. So we decided to remove them,” BNBBC chairman Datuk Tiong King Sing had said.

Nazri’s outburst at the BNBBC yesterday is a follow-up to his comments on Wednesday where he chided the club for removing the barricades.

“Don’t think just because you are with the BNBBC you can do what you like. Is this a gangster club? They should know their place in the house where the power is with the speaker,” he said

He warned the backbenchers not to resort to such actions again, saying the incident “embarrassed me”.

On Thursday, Tiong said the BNBBC would meet on Monday to decide on action against Nazri.