Bid to refer Teo to rights committee rejected

DEWAN Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof rejected a motion from Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) to refer Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching to Parliament’s Rights and Privileges committee.

Dr Wee said Teo’s allegation that he still owed her written replies from the time he helmed the deputy education minister’s post was misleading.

“I checked with my officers and I know that I did not owe any written replies to her. What the deputy minister said made it seem like I was irresponsible,” he said.

Mohamad Ariff said he saw the matter as a misunderstanding between the two parties and there was no attempts by Teo, who is also Pulai MP, to mislead or confuse the House.

“I think it is best if both of you discuss the issue,” he said.

Dr Wee said then said he would not prolong the issue if the Speaker advised Teo to retract her remarks.

To this, Mohamad Ariff said in politics and debate, such matters are normal saying “it is a political norm. Discuss with each other”.

Dr Wee then requested for Teo’s remarks to be expunged from the Hansard.

“I believe what you have explained here is also included in the Hansard so let the people be the judge of it,” replied Mohamad Ariff.

In another development, lawmakers were amused when Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman claimed he was an “ultra Indian” after he asked Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik about his request for Tamil schools in his constituency.

“Can the minister please help by looking into it,” he told Dr Maszlee.

Hearing this, some of the MPs laughed, causing Tajuddin to ask why they were laughing.

“I love Indians. I’m ultra Indian, you know,” he said