Pasir Salak MP suspended from Parliament for two days

KUALA LUMPUR: A shouting match that ensued in Dewan Rakyat over the proposed sale of Kampung Baru land saw a lawmaker suspended for two days.

The incident happened when Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad was just about to begin winding up his ministerial replies on Budget 2020.

However, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) stood up and requested Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon to let deputy minister Datuk Dr Shahruddin Md Salleh to do the replies.

"Please let the deputy minister reply as we will get riled up if it is done by the minister," he said.

Following which, several Umno opposition lawmakers stood up and began jeering Khalid.

Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) accused Khalid of being a broker for the Kampung Baru deal while Tan Sri Noh Omar (BN-Tanjong Karang) claimed that the latter is selling off Malay owned land.

"I am not selling off the land but developing it unlike the previous leaders who did nothing for 60 years," Khalid said in rebuttal to the accusations against him.

This led to opposition and Pakatan Harapan backbenchers trading more barbs.

Mohd Rashid called for order in the House and issued several warnings for both sides to sit down.

"Whoever does not sit down and continues to stand up to disrupt proceedings, they will be ordered to leave the House," Mohd Rashid said.

He then singled out Tajuddin and ordered him to be escorted out of the House by the sergeant-at-arms.

"You had caused the disruption and you are the only one that I am making an example to others to sit down," Mohd Rashid said.

However, Tajuddin refused to leave the House and was subsequently suspended for two days from Dewan Rakyat.

Mohd Rashid then said he allowed Tajuddin to remain seated in the House but reminded him that his two-day suspension was still in force.

Mohd Rashid also advised Khalid not to provoke the situation and be more serious in his replies.

Although Khalid managed to resume his replies, several Opposition MPs continued to badger him.

It was reported that Kampung Baru landowners were offered RM850 per sq ft for their land, and an additional RM150 per sq ft in the form of shares as the government's "final and best offer" to acquire Kampung Baru land.