Its déjà vu – the walkout by PAS MPs leading Barisan Nasional MPs during the first business of the 14th Parliament on the election of the Parliament Speaker.

Three matters are worth noting about this walkout, viz:

1. The Opposition walkout was led by PAS, with UMNO, MCA and MIC MPs meekly following suit;

2. Two UMNO MPs refuse to join in the walkout, Khairry Jamaluddin and Anifah Aman.

3. The sole MCA MP and two MIC MP tamely following the PAS-led first walkout of the 14th Parliament.

But the most significant matter is the seating arrangement for the Barisan Nasional MPs – the second placing for the former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak which means that although Najib has resigned as UMNO and BN President for the disastrous electoral results of the 14GE, where BN was booted out of power and UMNO lost its role as the political party with majority support of Malay voters, Najib is still the most powerful force in UMNO/BN although without title or position.

Otherwise, Najib would not have higher precedence in the parliamentary seating arrangement than the newly elected/appointed UMNO leaders like the UMNO Vice President Ismail Sabri, UMNO Secretary-General Annuar Musa or senior UMNO Supreme Council member Mustapha Mohamad.

This BN seating arrangement is very significant, for it means that none of the UMNO/MCA/MIC MPs are prepared to act in a patriotic manner to break ranks and apologise for the two worst Najib legacies, firstly, turning Malaysia into a global kleptocracy as a result of the monstrous 1MDB money-laundering scandal and secondly, unleashing the most toxic, vicious and divisive politics of race, religion, hate, fear and lies in Malaysian history and now trying to revive such toxic and divisive politics.

It is very sad if only Pakatan Harapan and Warisan MPs are the only MPs in the 14th Parliament who are prepared to perform their patriotic duties.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Parliament on Monday, 16th July 2018)