Parliamentarian Clowing

Though I may agree with the writer, Miss Jenny Chow regarding the behaviour of some of our wakil rakyat, I may also may want to reply (not to rebut) her letter.

As for me, there are certain actions which I feel some attention are needed to be stressed. The celebration of a birthday of an ISA detainee, for me, is a symbolic gesture of a daughter desire to celebrate the birthday of the father who is illegally and unlawfully detained without trial under the Internal Security Act.

That gesture is not a cheap publicity stunt by a little girl but basically a cry out from her heart in wanting to see her father release unconditionally. That is her right to express. As such coming to parliament to express that expression is something all Malaysians must take note of. AND not just push aside and say "it's funny" or some may say "security of parliament" and whatever reasons anybody and everybody will find. More often than not ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS and the message is send across.

On the other hand, giving red hard-boiled eggs to newsmen to mark their first month in the Dewan, is something 'should not be done'. Nevertheless, give them the benefit of a doubt that probably it was just after the mudslinging session in the Dewan that the two MPs here are just intending to take a 'kit kat' from the heaviness attachment of the Honourable Dewan. Sometimes to clown around is such a stress reliever.

Now I also heard from almost everybody that there are such waste of time by our parliamentarians. Besides the name calling like Bigfoot and 'Monyet', the Standing Orders are there to be followed. As such I hope sincerely our parliamentarians follow strictly the Orders. The Standing Orders are rules of parliamentary procedures which all parliamentarian must know and follow. The Speaker of the House must ensure that strict application of the Orders are to be adhered to. Unfortunately, our Parliamentarians be that from BN or Pakatan, failed to follow. This make it a junk house instead of the Honourable House.

The Standing Orders or in malay, Peraturan Mesyuarat, gives order to the House. With that order, motion are debated, statements made are explained, arguments are raised. So parliamentarians follow the Order please. As such when YB Karpal or Uncle Kit invoke the Standing Orders, it simply means to their opposing side, follow the Order. Simple as that.

My two cents opinion.....

©New Straits Times (Letters Section) (Used by permission)
by Jenny Chow, Alor Star

I WAS amazed to see a picture of two MPs distributing red hard-boiled eggs to newsmen at the Parliament to mark their first month in the Dewan Rakyat.

Not long ago, it was a whole group of Opposition MPs celebrating the birthday of the daughter of an Internal Security Act detainee.

It looks really funny, as in my opinion, the Dewan Rakyat is supposed to be a place where MPs have their meetings, debate and all that important stuff.

Before this, I always thought highly of the Dewan Rakyat and the important issues.

Unfortunately, when I look at the Dewan Rakyat now, all I see is a bunch of people trying new stuff to "impress" the rakyat who voted for them.

Sometimes, some of the MPs also like to debate over trivial issues and waste the Dewan's time. It's annoying to see these people putting up all these acts.

To me, there is no need to over-react and MPs should only debate important matters.

With MPs celebrating birthdays and distributing red hard-boiled eggs, I wonder what else will happen in the future.