Pandemonium in the house as MP breaks procedures

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — Parliament descended into pandemonium today as Kota Belud MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan broke parliamentary procedure in order to threaten Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (picture) with being referred to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee.

Abdul Rahman spoke after Question Time and cited Parliamentary Standing Order number 37 1 (A) to give himself time to issue the threat to Anwar explain his “One Israel” remark.

The warning from the BN backbencher was initially met with fierce objection from Ipoh Timur MP and the DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang who argued that Abdul Rahman had no merit to raise the Standing Order.

Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee, however, allowed the Kota Belud MP to finish speaking.

Permatang Pauh MP Anwar Ibrahim had recently claimed that APCO Worldwide, an international public relations company hired by the Najib Administration to promote his 1 Malaysia concept, is Israeli-linked and was behind the “One Israel” campaign that marked former premier Ehud Barak’s government in the 1990s.

Abdul Rahman said the statement issued by APCO denying the allegations made by Anwar was proof that the 1 Israel slogan is in no way linked to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia slogan.

The BN government also denied that APCO is in their hire, said the Kota Belud MP.

“Yang Berhormat Permatang Pauh has clearly misled the House based on the statement made by APCO,” he told the Dewan Rakyat.

“If this is not stopped, it can be continuously used by the opposition in their ceramah events,” he added.

In allowing Abdul Rahman to continue Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee, said that “the opposition have often been allowed to raise their point of order so we should allow the others too. I just want to let him finish presenting his argument”.

Chaos ensued in the House as other opposition MPs attempted to stop Abdul Rahman from continuing while their BN counterparts blasted them for attempts to disrupt the proceeding.

“On what grounds is Kota Belud allowed to table the motion?” shouted Lim Kit Siang only to be drowned by shouts of “coward” and “sit down” from the BN side of the House.

Minister in the Prime Minister Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had to interfere amid the chaotic sitting and told the Deputy Speaker that the government took the allegation, which he claims is not true, very seriously.

This did not stop the verbal fracas.

Opposition MPs continued arguing that the House had not been consistent as BN MPs are allowed to raise the Standing Order when a PR leader allegedly makes a misleading statement while BN lawmakers have walked away unscathed when doing so.

Kiandee then managed to calm the heated situation and reasoned that the motion allows Anwar to explain his allegation in a week’s time failing which the government will consider taking further action.

He subsequently decided to allow the motion. Any decision made by the House Speaker is final according to Parliamentary Standing Orders.

The Deputy Speaker did not allow opposition lawmakers to raise the same Standing Order following the Government’s denial that APCO is working for them. Opposition lawmakers claim the denial is a lie.