The Sun
by Husna Yusop
by Husna Yusop
KUALA LUMPUR (March 16, 2011): An argument broke out in the House today over whether Malaysian citizens residing overseas should have the right to vote in elections.
It led to name-calling between Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz and Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena), with each describing the other’s statement as stupid.
Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) also tried to raise a point of order against Datuk Seri Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan) for having said Malaysians who choose to reside overseas are not loyal to the country.
However, Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia put paid to that, saying a standing order could only be raised during debates, and not during question-and-answer sessions.
In her original question, Fong had asked about progress on the issue of giving Malaysians overseas the right to vote as requested by the Malaysians Overseas – Right To Vote campaign group.
It led to name-calling between Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz and Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena), with each describing the other’s statement as stupid.
Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) also tried to raise a point of order against Datuk Seri Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan) for having said Malaysians who choose to reside overseas are not loyal to the country.
However, Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia put paid to that, saying a standing order could only be raised during debates, and not during question-and-answer sessions.
In her original question, Fong had asked about progress on the issue of giving Malaysians overseas the right to vote as requested by the Malaysians Overseas – Right To Vote campaign group.
In his reply, Nazri said the government’s policy on the matter is explained in Article 119 (1) (a) (b) of the Federal Constitution, Elections (Voters Registration) Regulations 2002 and Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003.
“The laws state that only Malaysian citizens who are public servants working overseas and their spouses, and full-time students and their spouses, have the right to cast their votes (from overseas) if they are registered as voters,” he said.
Fong asked whether the government intended to change the policy as it was not right to deny Malaysians overseas their right to vote.
“According to the xonstitution, they can be absent voters if they don’t live here. But the government made regulations to deny them their right. They want the right because they still love the country and want to play a role,” she said.
Nazri said the government was only adhering to the law which states that in order to vote, one must be a resident of a constituency at the said time.
“We want them to be physically present to vote on election day. Exemption is only for public servants and students,” he said.
“If they really love Malaysia, they should come back and vote. They willingly went abroad and stayed there for five, six years and didn’t come back. It means they don’t love Malaysia.”
Abdul Ghapur in his supplementary question asked why Malaysians overseas were asking for the right to vote when they had lost trust in the country and are not loyal.
At this juncture, Mahfuz quipped that the government had been granting foreign nationals and illegal immigrants citizenship status.
Nazri said Mahfuz had made a stupid interjection as the law provides that only Malaysian citizens have voting rights.
Mahfuz in turn responded that the minister’s reply was stupid.
The question-and-answer session then turned into a noisy affair with Nazri and Mahfuz shouting at each other and Fong trying to argue her point.
Pandikar Amin finally put a stop to it, saying MPs who make unnecessary comments during question-and-answer sessions would not be given the chance to debate.
“The laws state that only Malaysian citizens who are public servants working overseas and their spouses, and full-time students and their spouses, have the right to cast their votes (from overseas) if they are registered as voters,” he said.
Fong asked whether the government intended to change the policy as it was not right to deny Malaysians overseas their right to vote.
“According to the xonstitution, they can be absent voters if they don’t live here. But the government made regulations to deny them their right. They want the right because they still love the country and want to play a role,” she said.
Nazri said the government was only adhering to the law which states that in order to vote, one must be a resident of a constituency at the said time.
“We want them to be physically present to vote on election day. Exemption is only for public servants and students,” he said.
“If they really love Malaysia, they should come back and vote. They willingly went abroad and stayed there for five, six years and didn’t come back. It means they don’t love Malaysia.”
Abdul Ghapur in his supplementary question asked why Malaysians overseas were asking for the right to vote when they had lost trust in the country and are not loyal.
At this juncture, Mahfuz quipped that the government had been granting foreign nationals and illegal immigrants citizenship status.
Nazri said Mahfuz had made a stupid interjection as the law provides that only Malaysian citizens have voting rights.
Mahfuz in turn responded that the minister’s reply was stupid.
The question-and-answer session then turned into a noisy affair with Nazri and Mahfuz shouting at each other and Fong trying to argue her point.
Pandikar Amin finally put a stop to it, saying MPs who make unnecessary comments during question-and-answer sessions would not be given the chance to debate.
No comments:
Post a Comment