Yesterday, two DAP MPs were suspended from the Dewan Rakyat – a dubious record for a single day of parliamentary proceeding.
DAP MP for Batu Gajah Fong Po Kuan was reduced to tears not because she had committed any crime or wrong but at the injustice of being ordered out of the House for trying to discharge her parliamentary duty to speak up on behalf of her constituents and Malaysians.
DAP MP for Bandar Kuching Chong Chieng Jen was suspended because he stood up to support Fong and complained about the harsh nature of the Speaker’s decision.
On Tuesday, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) MP for Batu, Tian Chua, was suspended from the House for repeatedly demanding to know why the Finance Minister, Datuk Najib Razak was refusing to allow opposition MPs to seek clarification on his new RM7 billion supplement to the 2009 Budget which had not been formally tabled in Parliament.
Last Thursday, DAP National Chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh was suspended for two days over the “main, main” issue.
But all these “infractions” of the four Pakatan Rakyat MPs added together are nothing compared to the ultimate parliamentary offence by the obstreperous Barisan Nasional MP for Pasir Salak Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman in his most obnoxious and completely unacceptable conduct on Wednesday when he used the terms “bastard” and “bloody bastard” against the DAP MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran.
The Malaysian Parliament may have the notoriety as the first Parliament in the world where MPs could get away with unparliamentary terms like “bastard” and “bloody bastard” lightly.
Although Tajuddin subsequently withdrew the ultimate of unparliamentary terms, the damage had already been done – as it was a parliamentary offence which could be mitigated and not wiped out by a withdrawal.
Compared to the punishment meted out to Po Kuan, Chieng Jen, Tian Chua and Karpal, Tajuddin should be suspended for at least one year if not two years for deliberately using terms which go beyond the pale of parliamentary permissibility and dishonouring forever parliamentary honour and record.
If Tajuddin is allowed to get away with such “ultimate” contempt of Parliament, it would only be a matter of time before four-letter obscenities and expletives are deliberately used in the House by an MP, who would be quite happy to withdraw it when challenged – preserving the whole disgraceful episode for posterity.
This must not be permitted.
To safeguard the honour and dignity of Parliament, DAP and Pakatan Rakyat MPs will push for the severest action to be taken against Tajuddin for his uncouth and boorish behaviour in using the terms “bastard” and “bloody bastard” in Parliament against another MP in Parliament. In fact, such terms should never be heard again in the Chambers of Malaysian Parliament.
#1 by Thinking Two on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 3:32 pm
Is this the result he got from the recent visit to Taiwan?
At least he learned something and the money was well spent!
#2 by dawsonruby on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 3:40 pm
What can you expect from the Bolehland? PAC is with UMNO, Tajuddin can get away by saying “bastard” in a parliament and what’s new?
Remember this is Bolehland, take it or leave..simple as that from the Umno.
#3 by bentoh on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 3:47 pm
I don’t think Taiwan congress allows such words even though their congress session can be chaotic… :)
#4 by Captain on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 3:52 pm
Tajuddin must be suspended for atleast 6 months. Pakatan should boycot Parliament until this happens. Chance for Pakatan to create History. Tajudin will fprever be remembered for his bastardly attitude.
#5 by ktteokt on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 3:54 pm
Talking about Taiwan, does anyone have any news or reports from the whole group of BN MPs who went to Taiwan on the “agricultural trip”? What did they learn there? Did they learn how to plant SWEET POTATOES there and came back to plant the same?? Agriculture in Taiwan is definitely not suitable for Malaysia due to difference in climate, so I wonder what these people actually learned there???? What’s more, it’s a whole group! Do you expect these MPs to come back to Malaysia and carry “cangkuls” digging in the fields?????
#6 by shortie kiasu on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 3:54 pm
Jan 1 start for cut in EPF contributions
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KUALA LUMPUR: The reduction of the employees’ contribution to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) will be made automatically effective from the January salaries to ease and facilitate better implementation of the measure.
This will be implemented until the December 2010 salary, the EPF said in a statement issued here yesterday.
It said, however, if members wished to maintain the contribution rate at 11 per cent, they may do so by filling up the Form KWSP 17A (AHL).
“Once completed, the forms can be submitted to the members’ respective employers for submission to the EPF,” the statement said.
The EPF said in the meantime, it would be issuing a new monthly contributions schedule accordingly.
It said members and employers could obtain the new schedule and AHL from all EPF branches or download the forms from its website, myEPF, at http://www.kwsp.gov.my from Dec 1 onwards.
On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also Finance Minister, announced that the employees’ monthly statutory contribution rate would be reduced by three per cent from 11 per cent to increase disposable income for the public.
He said higher disposable income would support domestic consumption and help sustain the momentum of economic growth. The decision to reduce members’ statutory contribution rate was taken twice before in 2001 and 2003 as part of an economic stimulus package. — Bernama
#7 by Thinking Two on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 3:56 pm
Anwar just won that his case to be remained at the same court.
#8 by shortie kiasu on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 3:57 pm
The above posting was an error, sorry. It was meant to be there.
#9 by Thinking Two on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 3:59 pm
Why reduce EPF contribution?
Tax payer’s personal reliefs also reduce and eventually, tax payer has to pay more tax.
The Government again collect more taxes for unnecessary spending.
#10 by shortie kiasu on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 4:02 pm
He who uttered the ‘word’ is worse than the description the word presents.
#11 by OrangRojak on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 4:06 pm
It’s like watching Celebrity Big Brother.
Maybe they should declare one afternoon a week off and just go out en masse into the carpark to relieve their frustrations. I bet Batu Gajah knows “Wing Chun fist”. I would pay to watch some of those wrongs made right, especially if some of those dull-as-dishwater camera angles could be exchanged for some “Bullet Time” shots a la The Matrix.
I reckon Malaysia’s parliament could easily show Taiwan how to make a really hardcore “Politican Deathmatch” series.
Do they have good loudspeakers outside parliament? I vote for Carl Douglas pumping out while they get down to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTiSzFp4arg
#12 by TheWrathOfGrapes on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 4:09 pm
Yes, I think “bastard” is more appropriately applied to Tajuddin Abdul Rahman.
I am sorry for calling Tajuddin a “bastard” as this is rather unparliamentary language. I regret using the words “bloody bastard” on Tajuddin.
#13 by pulau_sibu on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 4:46 pm
boleh parliament is caging a group of samsengs. where is the quality of YANG BERHORMAT? do you think we can hormat them any more?
#14 by Tonberry on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 4:57 pm
Tajuddin the Racist
#15 by safeworld on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 5:25 pm
Sad to see the quality of debate and also the attitute of the speaker. We are far away from the 1st world parliment.
#16 by queequeg on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 5:29 pm
A clear cut case of DOUBLE STANDARDS!!! It seems that BN MPs are still at it – arrogant buffoons with dinosaur-like mentality. And with a compliant Speaker (or was it Deputy Speaker) it just makes a mockery of our August House. The kind of language he uses is better suited for uneducated, uncultured, morally corrupt and spoiled brat kind of person. Definitely not in Parliament. Why is it that the Speaker easily dismisses calls to take stern action against the Pasir Salak MP by saying the issue is resolved after he retracted his swear words? In that case, next time other BN MPs will do the same and will never get thrown out. A dangerous precedent has occurred and it does not bode well for our democracy. My plea to the powers-that-be is this: Don’t let our Parliament turn into Taiwanese style brouhaha.
One solution is to let only those who are highly educated, professionals become MP. I’m sorry if this suggestion ruffled many feathers but if push comes to a shove, so be it.
#17 by Bobster on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 5:34 pm
We have heard the infamous 3Bs like ‘Bastard’, ‘Bodoh’ and ‘Babi’ spoken all by the BN MPs in the August house.
That is enough to show to the silent majority how unprofessional the so-called elected MPs carried themselves in the Parliament.
Shout more ‘non-halal’ languages in the Parliament. Show to rakyat Malaysia who are the baskets. In times to come as the notoriety of these baskets plummeted further into the tong sampah, that when these scumbeg will be buried together with the sampah sarap once and for all.
RIP sampah negara.
#18 by Bobster on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 5:40 pm
These kind of MPs should be catagorised as Yang Amat Busuk.
Foul mouth, foul languages in the Parliament. Halal or not?
#19 by safeworld on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 5:44 pm
“sudahlah, sudahlah…..”, ” tarik balih…” “you duduk..” ” bastard,,” what’s happenning to our lawmakers, what the moral value their mother do not teach them what wrong or right, how to set a role modal to the junior? No wonder why there are so many mat rapit on the street. The stupid guy who said “bastard” why so easily “dimalukan…,”?, i see such a low mentally and easily be infuence by even a word or pharse should go back to study kindergarden again.
#20 by limkamput on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 5:47 pm
It is the Speaker of the House. This small fellow given a small position is now abusing it to the core. [deleted]. But I remember you fellows in PR didn’t seem to know the importance of Speaker position when election was first held.
#21 by jjireh99 on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 6:20 pm
[deleted] It is so clear cut that there is double standard, for crying out loud! And it’s all the pm’s fault for putting him up there or whoever is responsible for appointing him in the first place. Sheesh…… He is not fair and square.
#22 by ktteokt on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 6:41 pm
First “bocor”, then the “vulgar hand sign” by Kinabatangan and now this! Have these BN MPs not any decency? Do they know how the constituents who elected them into parliament feel about their representation? These people have been arrogant, and will remain arrogant! That is BN culture!
#23 by marketer on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 7:18 pm
with all these childish and vulgar hurlings by our leaders in the honorary Dewan Rakyat….eeeuuu, paiseh lo!
what was the speaker doing? sleeping? ‘tak dengar’ the bastard word again?! did he have impaired eyesight (how he missed Fong Po Kuan) or impaired hearing (how he missed the bastard word uttered by Tajuddin)?? he should have his eyes and ears checked lol! c’mon!
i wonder what would happen if our young children gets to see this session aired on TV… first Big Foot, then Big Monkey, now Bastard and Bloody Bastard!??
#24 by 7even Sins on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 7:19 pm
The speaker has been lelong already…!!! In the time of bad economy, he also need to cari makan. Not surprise the speaker siding the ruling goons..!!
#25 by uncle_abc on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 7:39 pm
Dear admin,
using youtube broadcast is really a bit too slow(my internet speed is not bad),
may be you all can consider uploading the video using myspace video(much faster) or dailymotion broadcast,
myspace video link is http://vids.myspace.com/
dailymotion link is http://www.dailymotion.com/en
just provide the link in the blog posting,
always good to diversify to reduce the traffic for each one of the video uploading services
thanks
#26 by OrangRojak on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 10:01 pm
@queequeg
“highly educated professionals”
Uh no, I don’t think that will work – unless you’re imagining a house full of prostitutes with PhDs in Ecstasy Engineering.
While I’d be the first to suggest an entrance exam for parliament, I actually think it would make parliament less representative of the electorate. Let’s face it, the people who are currently most likely to end up in Malaysia’s parliament are quite likely to be able to afford the best in education, and if they weren’t in parliament would probably be occupying the most expensive business suite in KL anyway.
I’d like to see the House enforcing the rules (I imagine there are some?) more rigidly for a while. Suspend MPs who break the rules, strip them of privileges for a while and perhaps the electorate will vote for someone who’s actually permitted to enter parliament.
If parliament turns into a bar-room brawl, I can see voters choosing their representatives by weight and aggression. If Batu Gajah’s experience is anything to go by, “I didn’t see you” sounds like she failed her Malaysian parliament exam. I wonder if her voters will be represented by a sumo-sized, bad-tempered yob after the next election?
#27 by justice6 on Friday, 7 November 2008 - 11:36 pm
[deleted]
#28 by king cobra on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 12:02 am
now shouting unparliamentary words in parliament , wat’s next ?
Taiwanese style of parliament , fist & kicks flying all over parliament ?
#29 by akarmalaysian on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 1:56 am
as the saying goes…it takes a bigger bustard to knw a bustard.well said mr tajuddin bustard.we all knw u are one hell of a bustard but u dun hv to shout it out in parliament to let evryone knw that ur such an arrogant and uncivilised bustard in the house.we knw umno has many bustards like u in the government and we knw umno breeds monkies like u all over and over again.we are all so proud of u mr tajuddin bustard.keep up ur good work.
#30 by akarmalaysian on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 1:58 am
p/s: this kind of bustard is a real shame to malays.
#31 by disapointed86 on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 5:34 am
btw…why M.Kula need to utter such things…in this particular case i think the speaker made the right decision to call him to withdraw his statement…i dont get what M.Kula trying to do..pls dont waste the time….really disappointed…what for u need to comment that ppl in PS don like him..the election has ended..and somemore he said he won by luck … my question here is SO WHAT? WHAT CAN YOU DO??..
#32 by monsterball on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 6:31 am
So…many were suspended for this and that reasons…..but one UMNO guy using the word……..”bastard”…..no suspension.
This Mr.Speaker is worst than any most bias football referee.
The standard of balls carrying UMNO…is very cheap….as shown by this Me.Speaker.
#33 by undergrad2 on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 7:29 am
It is unfortunate that the MP for Batu Gajah allowed herself to be overcome by emotions. Contrast that with the unflappable personality of the MP from Permatang Pauh! Constituents expect their representative in Parliament to show their mettle in the face of adversity and allowing herself to be reduced to tears afterwards only serve to show weakness in her personality. Does she think that as a woman MP she should be held to a different standard?
#34 by limkamput on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 9:20 am
Undergrad2, you don’t have to be so harsh on her. The tears were the tears of frustration, disappointment and anger. Those are not tears of weakness.
Must find a way to get rid of that small fellow given a small position who thinks hell of great of himself. People of no standard and no sense of what is right and wrong.
#35 by undergrad2 on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 9:48 am
I’m sorry but I believe I speak for many of the constituents when I say they send their representatives to the county’s highest legislative body at a cost to taxpayers, for a purpose and that purpose is not to scream, stomp and cry and tear their hair out when they feel frustrated and let down. I’m not saying though that this MP from Batu Gajah is doing all of the above.
#36 by Bigjoe on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 9:54 am
Seriously, someone from PR got to go to Pasir Salak and see if there is enough internet cafe there. How does this guy get elected even? Seriously are there really people in this country, rural poor even, that can be NOT be ashamed of having such a person representing them? Or is it a case of desperation among the people of Pasir Salak and UMNO really is the one hostage by Tajuddin to represent them?
#37 by melurian on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 10:11 am
“saya tak nampak” ….
what a great reason ……
#38 by 7even Sins on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 12:24 pm
I just don’t understand why my posting were blocked all the time…!!!
#39 by OrangRojak on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 1:02 pm
“… they send their representatives … for a purpose…”
I don’t believe I speak for anybody’s constituents, I haven’t canvassed their opinions. I imagine that there are all kinds of reasons why MPs are elected. I would be surprised to find – I realise this is prejudice – that a majority of Malaysian voters had any purpose in mind for their chosen candidate at all. It is my strongly held personal opinion that a very large number of voters in any election are playing “pick the winner” – testing their predictive skills. A great number more are adhering to family or community tradition. Many more are selecting the best teeth and hairstyle.
For the voters who had a purpose in mind, I imagine it is frustrating when their representative doesn’t seem to be representing them in any effective way. For an enthusiastic and otherwise competent representative, finding it impossible to discharge their duty must be intolerable. Why aren’t MPs questions reliably attended to, when “We h8 u!” “F u! Wanna piece of me?” is recorded for posterity?
I’ve asked this about the Order Paper before: what guarantee is there that matters are attended to? Was Batu Gajah’s question certain to have been dealt with at some point in the future? Judging her outburst is difficult without knowing what her alternatives were.
#40 by CSKUEH on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 2:20 pm
For goodness sake, be obedient to the Lord
Speak kindly to one another, I sincerely appeal
“Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword
But wisely spoken words can heal”
(Proverbs 12:18)
#41 by cemerlang on Saturday, 8 November 2008 - 10:44 pm
All politicians represent the people. The politicians do not speak for themselves only but they speak on behalf of the people. Or may be Barisan Nasional love to have people demonstrate on the streets like their brave Indonesian counterparts. The Barisan Nasional dominated parliament is not professional in not letting the representatives to speak up. The Barisan Nasional dominated parliament is not professional in not handling their own Barisan Nasional politicians who have become like foul talking gangsters. Or may be Barisan Nasional is fill with highly educated gangsters. Or another thought. Barisan Nasional is so desperate that they resort to obscene languages.
#42 by CSKUEH on Sunday, 9 November 2008 - 1:22 am
The book of Proverbs is an invaluable collection of God’s instructions for our right living. Here are a few more quotations from Proverbs about controlling our tongue for us to ponder.
10:11; A good man’s words are a fountain of life, but a wicked man’s words hide a violent nature.
13:3; Be careful what you say and protect your life. A careless talker destroys himself.
15:1; A gentle answer quietens anger, but a harsh one stirs it up.
15:28; Good people think before they answer. Evil people have a quick reply, but it causes trouble.
16:24; Kind words are like honey, sweet to the taste and good for your health.
#43 by cinaindiamelayubersatu on Sunday, 9 November 2008 - 7:58 am
bastard utterance come from bloody bastard people like pasir salak. islam ajar dia macam tu ke ???? kena provoke konon, provoke kepala hotak kau !!!! kalau tak tahan kena provoke janganlah menyalak yalak !!!!