There are two issues raised here about the stature and dignity of Malaysian Parliament, whether first or third world, and they are, firstly Tajudin’s “gutter, racist and sexist language” and, secondly, political neutrality or lack thereof in respect of the Speaker Chair in Parliament.

Between the two issues, the second, I assume, is of the greater importance since a neutral chair will stop the “gutter, racist and sexist language” and give opposition MPs their legitimate dues.

The problem here is how could one reasonably expect a Parliamentary Speaker to be “politically neutral” when he is always drawn from government benches and is a ruling party’s MP. It is a contradiction in terms.

The other problem is what good would the Opposition’s moving a motion of censure against the Chair do when by majority numbers, and operation of party whip, the BN’s MPS by their sheer majority numbers/votes could defeat such a motion of censure?

So to maximise the chances of procuring a neutral Speaker, it is f air to speculate that he ought to be someone fair and respectable drawn from ranks of Opposition. This is check and balance.

Of course one can argue how could he be neutral and non-partisan if he were drawn from Opposition benches – wouldn’t he be consistently bias against ruling party’s MPs in favour of Opposition’s?

Now I take this to be not a serious and credible objection – for the simple reason that if such a Speaker proves consistently partisan, he could easily be removed from his chair by the ruling party’s MPs in parliament who are, after all, the majority who could move and carry the votes on any motion of censure or no confidence on the Speaker……………………..

So it would be a good convention to maximise chances of political neutrality of Parliamentary Speaker chair for a Speaker to be appointed from ranks of the Opposition rather than ruling party.

Whilst it would be ‘day dreaming’ and an exercise in futility to expect the Barisan Nasional to consider for a second such a proposal, the question is, what is Pakatan Rakyat prepared to do – by way of example instead of by symbolic token of moving a motion of censure that has no chance of success – to promote the Cause of Parliamentary Speaker’s neutrality?

Is either Anwar or yourself on behalf of Pakatan Rakyat prepared to openly commit to Malaysian Rakyat that if and when Pakatan Rakyat has majority in parliament to form the government, relegating the Barisan Nasional to the Opposition benches, Pakatan Rakyat would be prepared to appoint a Barisan Nasional MP (other than Tajudin!) to be the Parliamentary Speaker to maximise the chances of political neutrality in respect to that all important position of Parliamentray Speaker, arbitrating democratic debate in Parliament?

What I mean is I can’t keep up with your cleverness. :)

You may perhaps have the answer as to how to otherwise ensure political neutrality of a Parliamentary Speaker who is a member of parliament of the ruling party and appointed by that majority ruling party.