by Joseph Sipalan Malaysiakini Oct 11, 10
PARLIAMENT
Opposition MPs were up in arms today as the August House rejected 28 questions from 17 Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarians, forcing speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia to promise he will look into their complaints as soon as possible.
Right after the end of question time, Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) (right) cited the standing orders to ask why his question, asking Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak if he is a Malay or Malaysian first, was rejected.
Karpal said a letter he received from the speaker’s office which said his question was rejected on the grounds that he was asking for the premier’s opinion and was a hypothetical question.
“The deputy Prime Minister had said he was a Malay first and Malaysian second, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri (Aziz) said he was a Malaysian first and Malay second.
“… I am not asking for his opinion. I am asking for him to state his stand as prime minister. Why this special protection for the prime minister?,” he said.
Floodgates opened
Karpal’s query opened the floodgates with a string of opposition MPs standing one after the other to register their dissatisfaction over the rejection of their questions.
A total of 17 MPs eventually spoke out in protest over the rejection, including Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur), Chong Cheng Jien (DAP-Bandar Kuching), Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong), Loh Gwo Burne (PKR-Kelana Jaya), Nasharudin Md Isa (PAS-Bachok) and Nizar Jamaluddin (PAS-Bukit Gantang).
The questions covered a broad range of issues, from the poor reception among senior civil servants of the 1Malaysia concept to the Home Ministry’s inaction over racist and false articles published by Utusan Malaysia, the national budget for military procurements and Perkasa.
Lim later proposed that a joint committee be formed with members from both sides of the House, to set clear guidelines on what kind of questions can be asked in Parliament.
Nasharudin (left) however disagreed to the formation of a committee, saying it is not necessary as the speaker holds exclusive powers to determine what can and cannot go on in the House.
Pandikar explained that the rejection of the questions was done according to parliamentary procedure, but promised to address the complaints raised by the MPs..
“I view this issue seriously, because it is related to the standing orders. But I ask for the good grace of the MPs here to give me time, and I will address each complaint,” he said.