‘Kutty’ exchange leaves house in stitches

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat was filled with laughter yesterday when Muslim members of parliament openly joked about their Indian heritage.

This was in reference to the debacle over former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s alleged Indian heritage, which was mentioned by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently.

The exchange happened when Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Rahim (BN-Baling) asked how the government could help the Rohingya, while urging opposition MPs to join humanitarian missions regardless whether they were “Kutty or non-Kutty”.

Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican jokingly responded to Azeez: “This question is so long... this is how a mamak asks questions.”

Mahfuz Omar (Pas-Pokok Sena) then stood up and laughed, saying: “The one who is answering is also the same.”

“The one who is answering is from a higher caste,” Reezal shot back, drawing laughter from the house.

Later, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang launched a tirade against journalists when asked about the issue raised by Pertubuhan Minda Sosial Prihatin president Ramesh Rao, who wanted Lim to clarify his place of birth.

“I was a reporter before and if the story is trash, I will investigate first. So investigate before asking, otherwise it will reflect on you and your newspaper,” he said.