PETALING JAYA: MCA Youth has slammed Mohamed Hanipa Maidin following his slur on Wednesday (Oct 9) against Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said in Parliament.
Its chief Nicole Wong said the remarks by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department spoke volumes about the calibre of Pakatan Harapan's Cabinet.
"To have a top leader utter such a derogatory statement within the halls of Parliament is a disgrace to our country.
"Despite Pakatan’s pledge to turn Malaysia into a progressive nation, the rudimentary notion of showing courtesy and respect seems to have escaped even their deputy minister," she said in a statement on Thursday (Oct 10).
Despite Hanipa having apologised to Azalina, Wong said he should also apologise to the people of Malaysia, especially the women.
"All parliamentarians must pay proper attention to the character they exude in the Dewan Rakyat.
"They should debate on national policies with the utmost of professionalism, knowing that what they do impacts the future of our country," she said.
On Wednesday (Oct 9), Hanipa said he was unsure of Azalina's gender due to her appearance.
"Sometimes, even I can't differentiate if you are a woman or a man," he said in jest whilst debating the Bill to repeal the Anti-Fake News Act.
According to Wong, parliamentarians should not get sucked into a third-rate mentality by spewing vulgarities and squabbling without content or direction.
She said, for instance, when debating the repeal of the Anti-Fake News Act, there was a need to analyse the policy from the standpoint of pragmatism and practicality, instead of repealing it simply because the previous administration passed it.
"Moreover, the top brass of Pakatan, including Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, continuously talk about the need to curb the spread of false information.
"So where is the logic behind repealing an existing Act just to table a new, similar one on a later date?" she asked.
Did you find this article insightful?
