KUALA LUMPUR: An outcry by Opposition MPs in Parliament was triggered after Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun ruled a remark against Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Independent-Muar) being called a "child" was a joke with no bad intentions.
“I feel that it is a joke. There is no mala fide, ” said Azhar after the alleged remark by Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) against Syed Saddiq (pic).
The Speaker said this in response to Hannah Yeoh (PH-Segambut), Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) and Ramkarpal Singh (PH-Bukit Gelugor) who demanded a ruling from Azhar over Tajuddin's remark.
The issue began when Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities minister Willie Mongin was delivering his winding-up speech at the committee stage in Parliament on Tuesday (Dec 1).
Tajuddin had interjected Mongin’s speech, asking whether the government had plans to produce more local rubber product manufacturers in a market dominated by big corporations.
Before Tajuddin began his question, he ordered Syed Saddiq to sit down.
“Budak-budak (children) should sit first, ” said Tajuddin.
Yeoh then raised Standing Order 36(4), to which Tajuddin stood up and interjected.
“I’m 72-years-old. How old is she? How old is he?” questioned Tajuddin.
Yeoh, however, remained defiant, as she demanded for a ruling from Azhar over the issue.
“This is not the first time Syed Saddiq was called a ‘budak’ and this is bullying. Other children are watching our proceedings, ” she said.
Later, Azhar ruled Tajuddin’s remark as a joke before a bloc vote was called by the Opposition in passing Budget 2021 allocations for the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry.
The bloc vote ended with 108 MPs voting for the allocations to be passed, 95 MPs against, while 13 MPs were absent.
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