IT’S not the first, and neither will it be the last time the Dewan Rakyat descends into chaos, with our Members of Parliament screaming at each other, hurling abuses, and then staging the traditional walkout protest.
Malaysians have become accustomed to this form of shenanigans from some of our not-so-honourable members of the House.
We can no longer keep track of the instances when Parliament degenerates into a circus with uncouth language used by both sides of the divide.
Ultimately, all this tells us is that meaningful debates are rare commodities within its walls.
The theatrics and poor conduct of these recalcitrant lawmakers have always overshadowed the painstakingly research-driven speeches of their more responsible and well-meaning colleagues.
We’ve long given up hope that Dewan Rakyat could be like Westminster, where MPs engage in constructive, witty and refined exchanges.
The usual rowdy MPs in our Dewan Rakyat may have disappeared, but they have been replaced by new ones. It seems like the assembly line churning them out never stops.
Last week, the special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat saw two back-to-back yelling matches on the first day. What a ceremonious start.
Tensions boiled over Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for his 47 graft charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.
Perikatan Nasional MPs staged a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat following a protracted argument when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was delivering his winding-up speech on the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review.
The House was thrown into pandemonium when Anwar took a swipe at Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (PN-Putrajaya) for laughing when he was explaining the issue.
We are used to all kinds of petulant behaviour involving politicians inside or outside Parliament, but some level of respect must surely be accorded, even if the MPs concerned feel strongly about their stand.
In moments of anger, some of us respond in a way we regret later. Radzi is often seen as someone who maintains his composure, so his outburst at Anwar came as a curveball.
Former Economic Director at the Prime Minister’s Office Shahril Hamdan, the co-host of a podcast with Khairy Jamaluddin, said Radzi “scored an own goal” while KJ said Radzi fell “into a trap.”
But the bottom line is there must be some parameters. Regardless of our positions, we must all show restraint.
Let’s have some class, dignity and decorum. We may have our political differences, but we need to respect each other’s views.
In Anwar’s case, his sodomy conviction was fully pardoned by the previous Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 2018, with Anwar saying that the King found his conviction a travesty of justice.
To bring it up in Parliament, even if briefly, and in a moment of anger, is surely unbecoming.
A “free” or “full pardon” wipes the slate clean of a conviction, as legal expert Prof Shad Saleem Faruqi had written about the implications of a royal pardon. So, the convict is released from all the penalties, legal disabilities and disqualifications.
It has been the tradition of mainstream media not to dwell on prior convictions of personalities who have been pardoned by His Majesty the King.
They’ve included former Selangor Mentri Besar, the late Datuk Harun Idris, who was jailed for embezzlement and graft of funds, and a former minister, the late Datuk Mokhtar Hashim.
The latter was sentenced to death for murder in 1983 before receiving a royal pardon in 2020.
The news portals today, however, have taken a lesser approach.
Many have not spent enough time in court reporting to understand the full meaning of someone who has been pardoned.
Insinuations of any kind against those who are recipients of a royal pardon, whether in the Dewan Rakyat or worse, online, would be out of place. It doesn’t constitute freedom of expression.
The aftermath of Radzi’s outburst is that all political secretaries to the unity government have called for the former Education Minister to be barred from Parliament.
The PM’s senior political secretary Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin said the group was now writing to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, to call for Radzi’s suspension.
Having covered Parliament for decades as a reporter, I’ve often wondered if the public knows that after such hijinks, these MPs often adjourn for coffee, slap one another’s backs, and enjoy each other’s company.
By now, we should know that MPs can scream at each other today but tomorrow, they could be sitting on the same bench. Or having tea together outside.
Welcome to the world of Malaysian politics. It’s not for the faint of heart.
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Wong Chun Wai
Wong Chun Wai began his career as a journalist in Penang, and has served The Star for over 35 years in various capacities and roles. He is now group editorial and corporate affairs adviser to the group, after having served as group managing director/chief executive officer. On The Beat made its debut on Feb 23 1997 and Chun Wai has penned the column weekly without a break, except for the occasional press holiday when the paper was not published. In May 2011, a compilation of selected articles of On The Beat was published as a book and launched in conjunction with his 50th birthday. Chun Wai also comments on current issues in The Star.
