Parliament will vote at 2.30 pm today to decide whether to refer two Barisan Nasional (MP) Members of Parliament, Datuk Mohd Said Yusuf (Jasin) and Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan) to the Committee of Privileges for making offensive and sexist remarks directed at the DAP MP for Batu Gajah, Fong Po Kuan in Parliament yesterday.

When Parliament began this morning, Po Kuan stood up on a point of order under Standing Order 26(1)(p) to move a privilege motion to refer the two BN MPs to the Committee of Privileges for breach of parliamentary privilege. No notice is required under S.O. 26(1)(p) when the privilege matter had to raised at the first available opportunity.

Subject of complaint – Mohd Said and Bung Mohktar had made vulgar, sexist and offensive remarks at Po Kuan when she and other DAP MPs had raised in Parliament yesterday afternoon the issue about the ceiling leaks near the media centre during heavy downpour in the morning despite a RM100 million renovation bill.

Utusan Malaysia in its report “Enam kebocoran siling dikesan di Parlimen”, recounted:

M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) dan Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) yang turut mencelah kemudian berkata, kebocoran itu membazirkan wang rakyat.

Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) yang bangun mengambil bahagian secara sinis berkata:”Mana ada bocor, Batu Gajah pun tiap-tiap bulan pun bocor juga.”

This was also reported by Sin Chew Daily and China Press. Sin Chew reported that Mohd Said made the derogatory remark that “MP for Batu Gajah tiap-tiap bulan pun bocor juga” while China Press reported that Mohd Said was the first to make the sexist and offensive remark which was followed by Bung Mohtar.

Both Sin Chew and China Press observed that probably because there was so much din and pandemonium in the House at the time that DAP MPs did not hear the vulgar, sexist and offensive remarks made by the two BN MPs at Po Kuan — which was why there had been no protest by DAP MPs in the House at the time.

This was exactly what happened, as no DAP MP had heard these BN duo making the vulgar, sexist and offensive remarks because of the din at the time, caused by BN MPs refusing to allow DAP MPs to draw the attention of the House to the disgraceful spectacle in Parliament returning to the lengthening list of government building and public construction mishaps.

However, when the vulgar, sexist and offensive remarks were reported not by one but by three separate newspapers, there could be no doubt about its occurrence.

In proposing that the two BN MPs be referred to the Committee of Privileges, which was seconded by the DAP MP for Seputeh Teresa Kok, Po Kuan said the two BN MPs had insulted all Malaysian women and their actions must be condemned in no uncertain terms. She urged all MPs, particularly women MPs from Barisan Nasional, to support the censure motion of the two BN MPs.

One woman Barisan Nasional MP conspicuously left the Chamber at this stage.

I also gave my support, stressing that the two BN MPs have brought shame to Parliament, making it a laughing stock in the nation and the world with such vulgar, sexist and offensive remarks. I said Parliament cannot permit to have a MCP (male chauvinist pig) as an MP, but there are now two MCPs in Parliament.

M. Kulasegeran (DAP — Ipoh Barat) also stood up to call for the most serious view and action to be taken.

In view of the seriousness of the matter, the Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah announced that a vote on the motion will be held at 2.30 pm.

At this, I called on the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, who was in the House at the time, to allow for a free vote by BN MPs, based on the merits of the case and not only party lines. I specifically suggested that the party whip should be withdrawn to allow for all MPs to vote according to their conscience to demonstrate that the BN government is serious about its commitment about defending and upholding the dignity of women and that it is not just empty talk.