Not just another day at the House
Drama and tantrums were the rule of the Opening Act at last week’s Dewan sitting but with weeks of excitement ahead, they may just not be the most striking scene yet.
ALL the world’s a stage and the biggest in the Malaysian political scene opened last week with a bang.
There was drama, some comedic lines, plenty of trantrums and even a banishment. In short, the new Parliament is set to be interesting.
With Pakatan Harapan assuming the mantle of federal governance and Barisan Nasional becoming the Opposition, this Parliament is new in every sense of the word.
Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali captured it best when, taking a question from Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (BN-Bagan Datuk) on the High Speed Rail, he quipped:
“It’s my honour to answer the first question from the first Opposition Leader from Umno.”
Except that for Dewan Rakyat, old habits tend to die hard.
The inevitable switch in the House’s seating arrangement saw some getting used to for a few Members of Parliament – particularly old-timers like DAP’s Lim Kit Siang, who has been an Opposition MP since 1969 until the recent polls, and even for his son Guan Eng.
Both confessed to entering through the door for the Opposition MPs during their swearing in on Monday.
It is the same for DAP Damansara’s Tony Pua as well, who admitted that the view from his seat has certainly changed.
“I am looking directly at the Speaker now but OKlah, can adjust,” added Pua, who now works with Guan Eng at the Finance Ministry.
Apparently, the seating is so radically new that until today, a map of the arrangement has yet to be uploaded onto the Parliament official website.
So, it came as a surprise for many to see former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein – both without positions in Umno – assuming the front row seats beside Dr Ahmad Zahid.
This did not escape Lim who, eagle-eyed from experience, wrote that by convention, senior party members had precedence over the frontline seats in the Opposition bloc.
This was proof that Najib was “still a force to be reckoned with”, he said.
Indeed, Najib, despite facing a corruption trial, as well as the other Barisan heavyweights including MCA’s Ayear Hitam MP Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong were determined to be an effective Opposition, firing queries during the first Question Time on Wednesday and taking part, unlike ex-Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Seri Anifah Aman (BN-Kimanis), in the walkout on Monday.
The walkout, which came about after Barisan insisted that the appointment letter of Speaker Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof’s was backdated, did not seem to have impressed the Prime Minister.
In fact, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who, at 93, has had his fair share of Dewan’s antics, was caught on video egging on the Opposition with his trademark cheeky grin.
The walkout is a familiar tool to many watching the Parliament’s events and Pakatan has wielded it - rather liberally - when they were the Opposition.
The MPs eventually came back in to take their oath before the new Speaker, except for two, Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is on medical leave, and Sipitang MP Yamani Hafez Musa, the son of former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman and Anifah’s nephew.
If the walkout provided a very loud and dramatic prelude to the meeting proper, nothing compared, however, to the explosive events on the third day of Dewan Rakyat.
After almost an hour of yelling, accusations and waving of the Standing Orders book by both the Pakatan and Opposition over the use of the word “gangsters” - presided by the hapless Deputy Speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon, who was elected only on Monday - DAP’s Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh finally earned the dubious honour of being the first MP to be thrown out of the House.
A footage of that argument, which has since been widely viewed on YouTube and other portals, was met with no small amount of derision from the public, with many questioning the need for the prolonged namecalling session. Especially when it took place just as Johari Abdul (PHSg Petani) was about to table the motion of thanks on the Royal Address by the King, who the day before had spoken eloquently about the need for MPs to keep peace and unity.
“I feel quite embarassed. Everybody was asking me why they (the MPs) were screaming at each other.
“I had to explain but then, this is just the beginning and I am hoping for the best,” said the first-term and youngest MP P. Prabakaran of Batu, who has admitted to being “quite nervous” during the swearing-in.
“The fight is quite unnecessary in my opinion. It should have been avoided and not professional,” he said.
However, even as the conduct of some came into question, others chose to rise above themselves - as shown by the other deputy Speaker, Nga Kor Ming.
His cool level-headedness in settling a brewing argument between Dr Ahmad Zahid and RSN Rayer (PH - Jelutong) and Hassan Abdul Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) over the word “munafik” (hypocrite) even got a Malay daily, known for its anti-DAP stance, praising him for his professionalism.
With so much going on in the first four days of Dewan Rakyat alone, many are wondering what else is left to shock and awe for the new Parliament.
Don’t worry as there are many more days of drama – the Bills to abolish the Goods and Services Tax and its replacement, the Sales and Service Tax are expected in the weeks ahead, with repeats to come.
The Dewan sits again tomorrow.