AES thorn among ‘best friends’
Touch of ‘drama’ in debate over Transport Ministry’s budget allocation
AFTER almost a month of gruelling debate and heated arguments, the RM251.6bil Budget 2013 tabled by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Sept 28 was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday.
It was the last day to debate the Transport Ministry’s budget allocation and there was drama linked to the Automated Enforcement System (AES).
Since September, Pakatan Rakyat MPs have been attacking the AES from every conceivable angle, objecting to its implementation.
Undeterred, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Chor Ha held his ground and spent two hours winding up the debate.
Kong initially refused to give way to MPs who interrupted him but gave in to Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PASPokok Sena) who made a passionate plea.
“Come on YB, we are the best of friends and even visited Chile together ... please let me speak,” the fiery MP said.
To Kong’s dismay, the “best friend” term was a ruse used by the PAS vice-president to seize the opportunity to attack the AES.
But Kong proved up to the task, holding his ground and rebutting Mahfuz’s allegations.
He said the AES was introduced to reduce road fatalities and “prevent sorrow and hardship among those who might lose family members in road accidents.”
An average of about 19 people die on Malaysian roads daily, causing economic losses amounting to RM8bil annually.
Opposition lawmakers tried to block the ministry’s budget through bloc-voting (by show of hands instead of a voice vote) when it was put to the floor for a decision by Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.
At the end, the budget was passed by a 78 to 49 vote margin.
Mahfuz was later seen at Parliament lobby pacifying Kong over his “best-friend” ruse and subsequent outburst in the Dewan.
Meanwhile, Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad turned the tables on the Opposition when he went on a tirade against Pakatan Rakyat MPs who derided the Scorpene deal via Suaram’s French lawyers.
Dr Abdul Latiff criticised the Opposition for trying to link a third party with the issue.
He also chided Pakatan for confusing the people by creating an impression that there was a judicial inquiry on the Scorpene probe in France.
Pakatan had invited Suaram’s lawyer William Bourdon to brief MPs in Parliament on the issue subject to approval of his entry into the country by immigration authorities.
Dr Abdul Latiff said the Opposition was only out to tarnish the country’s image.
However, common ground for both sides of the political divide came in the form of the IsraelPalestine conflict that saw lawmakers condemning Israel’s attacks in Gaza.
The emergency motion tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz on behalf of the Prime Minister saw MPs unanimous in their condemnation of Israel’s aggression and called for an immediate end to hostilities.