MPs riled up over name-calling

Deputy minister’s remark on Seputeh rep’s surname sparks quarrel

A DEPUTY minister’s remark on the surname “Kok” became a bone of contention when the Opposition accused him of being vulgar.

Deputy Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Minister Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was in the midst of his reply during the question-and-answer session when he abruptly touched on the weekend’s Bersih 5 rally.

Gesturing at Teresa Kok (DAPSeputeh) who was clad in a yellow jacket, Tajuddin said: “The only woman with a ‘Kok’ in the Dewan.”

A shouting match erupted with several opposition MPs demanding that Tajuddin retract the word while the Deputy Minister insisted that he was only referring to the Seputeh MP’s surname.

To this, Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee concurred with Tajuddin.

Khalid Samad (Amanah-Shah Alam) then retorted that Tajuddin clearly meant for this to be “vulgar”.

“Is the word allowed in Parliament? If not, it needs to be taken out. It’s disgusting,” said Kasthuri Patto (DAP-Batu Kawan).

As Tajuddin continued to talk in the midst of the heckling, Khalid called him menteri sial (damned minister).

This prompted Tajuddin to turn on Khalid, accusing him of being kurang ajar (uncouth) before Kiandee told the Deputy Minister to continue with his reply.

Khalid then accused Kiandee of pretending not to know the insinuation behind the word “Kok”.

“Tuan Speaker, this is easy. Let the both of us settle this outside,” said Tajuddin, walking out of the Dewan without finishing his reply.

Both Tajuddin and Khalid later gave separate press conferences in the lobby, with both men repeating their accusations against each other.

When the House resumed after lunch, Kasthuri urged Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia to make a ruling on Tajuddin’s behaviour and asked for him to be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee.

However, Pandikar Amin said he had just landed from Kota Kinabalu and did not know what transpired in the morning.

As Batu Kawan insisted, adding that she hoped to “get a good judgment”, Pandikar Amin said: “YB, I give good judgments all the time but not all of you agree with me.”

In a statement, MCA vice-president Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said it would not tolerate any form of vulgarity from male MPs made in reference to Chinese surnames.

“Such behaviour is the last expected from a Deputy Minister,” she said, calling on Tajuddin to apologise to all women and the Chinese community.