'Ousted Perak MB's wires snapped'
S Pathmawathy and Emily ChowPublished: Jun 15, 2009 11:29 AM | Updated: Jun 17, 2009 12:04 AM
The incident which saw newly sworn-in Bukit Gantang Member of Parliament Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin being booted ou t of Parliament this morning was an embarrassment to the House, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz said.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz today lashed out at newly sworn-in Bukit Gantang parliamentarian and ousted Perak menteri besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.
He described Nizar being booted out of Parliament this morning as an embarrassment to the House.
"His brain must have 'putus wayar' (wires snapped)... and this is a crazy act. He is not showing a good example although he bears a respectable title of MP.
"I have been a parliamentarian for four terms now and such a thing has never taken place. We regret that such an incident has taken place," he said.
Nazri was referring to the seven Pakatan Rakyat MPs, including Nizar, who were ordered out of the Dewan Rakyat this morning following their call for the Perak state assembly to be dissolved.
Apart from Nizar, the others were Nga Kor Ming (Taiping-DAP), Ngeh Khoo Ham (Beruas-DAP), N Gobalakrishnan (Padang Serai-PKR), Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena-PAS), D'zulkifli Ahmad (Kuala Selangor-PAS) and Hatta Ramli (Kuala Krai-PAS).
"We hope that this will be an example to the younger generation and to the public... this embarrassing episode does not reflect the mentality of the members of Parliament," said Nazri.
'Bow-ties' not allowed
The ruckus begun as soon as Nizar was sworn in as a member of parliament after the House began sitting.
He started saying loudly 'Hidup rakyat' (Long live the people) and 'Bubar DUN' (Dissolve the assembly) with the other Pakatan parliamentarians following suit.
They also wore headbands with the words ‘Bubar DUN' . The seven continued with their chants as Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia urged them to be quiet and remove the headbands.
"What we wear inside the House is determined by a dress code and one of the regulations is that a bow-tie is not allowed. That is why I have stopped wearing bow-ties in respect of the law, what more a headband," blasted Nazri.
"I have never seen MPs wear such headbands before. We only allow the ‘songkok' and other traditional or cultural attire," he said.
The minister said headbands were an ‘alien thing' which could not be allowed unless with the consent of the speaker.
"Even simple things, like placing a document on the table, we need the permission of the speaker what more if you want to wear a headband.
"But permission was not asked so the action of the speaker (in suspending them) was correct [...] the opposition leader (Anwar Ibrahim) says it is allowed overseas, but that is overseas and this is Malaysia and we respect matters that are forbidden in our ‘dewan'," said Nazri.
‘There is no excuse'
Asked of past incidents when MPs had worn anti-ISA (Internal Security Act) arm-bands in the House, Nazri said: "Matters that had taken place in the past are based on past regulations [...] the MPs who wearing the anti-ISA arm-bands escaped because they were not noticed by the Speaker".
If the speaker had not spotted it, then they were off the hook, said Nazri (left), likening it to a case of stolen jewellery.
"It is just like stolen jewelry, if they (the court) does not see it, there will no prosecution, but if the thief is caught, the thief will be charged.
"I think it was planned, he (Nizar) shouted and everyone started shouting, (therefore) action had to be taken. There is no excuse," said Nazri.
He described Nizar being booted out of Parliament this morning as an embarrassment to the House.
"His brain must have 'putus wayar' (wires snapped)... and this is a crazy act. He is not showing a good example although he bears a respectable title of MP.
"I have been a parliamentarian for four terms now and such a thing has never taken place. We regret that such an incident has taken place," he said.Nazri was referring to the seven Pakatan Rakyat MPs, including Nizar, who were ordered out of the Dewan Rakyat this morning following their call for the Perak state assembly to be dissolved.
Apart from Nizar, the others were Nga Kor Ming (Taiping-DAP), Ngeh Khoo Ham (Beruas-DAP), N Gobalakrishnan (Padang Serai-PKR), Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena-PAS), D'zulkifli Ahmad (Kuala Selangor-PAS) and Hatta Ramli (Kuala Krai-PAS).
"We hope that this will be an example to the younger generation and to the public... this embarrassing episode does not reflect the mentality of the members of Parliament," said Nazri.
'Bow-ties' not allowed
The ruckus begun as soon as Nizar was sworn in as a member of parliament after the House began sitting.
He started saying loudly 'Hidup rakyat' (Long live the people) and 'Bubar DUN' (Dissolve the assembly) with the other Pakatan parliamentarians following suit.
They also wore headbands with the words ‘Bubar DUN' . The seven continued with their chants as Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia urged them to be quiet and remove the headbands.
"What we wear inside the House is determined by a dress code and one of the regulations is that a bow-tie is not allowed. That is why I have stopped wearing bow-ties in respect of the law, what more a headband," blasted Nazri."I have never seen MPs wear such headbands before. We only allow the ‘songkok' and other traditional or cultural attire," he said.
The minister said headbands were an ‘alien thing' which could not be allowed unless with the consent of the speaker.
"Even simple things, like placing a document on the table, we need the permission of the speaker what more if you want to wear a headband.
"But permission was not asked so the action of the speaker (in suspending them) was correct [...] the opposition leader (Anwar Ibrahim) says it is allowed overseas, but that is overseas and this is Malaysia and we respect matters that are forbidden in our ‘dewan'," said Nazri.
‘There is no excuse'
Asked of past incidents when MPs had worn anti-ISA (Internal Security Act) arm-bands in the House, Nazri said: "Matters that had taken place in the past are based on past regulations [...] the MPs who wearing the anti-ISA arm-bands escaped because they were not noticed by the Speaker".
If the speaker had not spotted it, then they were off the hook, said Nazri (left), likening it to a case of stolen jewellery."It is just like stolen jewelry, if they (the court) does not see it, there will no prosecution, but if the thief is caught, the thief will be charged.
"I think it was planned, he (Nizar) shouted and everyone started shouting, (therefore) action had to be taken. There is no excuse," said Nazri.
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