Wednesday May 7, 2008

Kit Siang dodges backbenchers’ verbal attacks with ease

VETERAN DAP leader Lim Kit Siang proved that he was a masterful MP when he took on barbs and challenges thrown at him by his Barisan Nasional counterparts with ease.

Debating the motion of thanks on the royal address, the Ipoh Timur representative allowed MPs, from both the Barisan and the Opposition, to seek clarification, letting them speak at length at times and turned the debate into a lively one.

When Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) kept interrupting him, Lim told him to “wait for your turn to speak” as the former got carried away and turned his question into a speech.

At one point, Tajuddin called on a point of order to gain access to rebut Lim, so much so that the DAP man told him to not abuse the Standing Orders.

“Maybe the Backbenchers Club should have classes to teach your MPs how to use the points of order in the House,” Lim said.

Even Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) left the Dewan after he failed to divert Lim.

He had an intense argument with Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir (BN-Jerlun) when he touched on corruption and said now, even backbenchers talk about the need to fight bribery as well.

At one point, Mukhriz stood to say the Government under his father, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took action against corruption, noting that even his former deputy Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was charged with abuse of power.

To that, Lim merely replied: “Itu satu sen pun tak ada. Apa corruption?” (In that case, not one sen was involved. What corruption?)

After the break, a witty Mukhriz chided Lim for using the term political tsunami repeatedly, pointing out that when the tsunami struck, people from “both sides” were affected.

“So please stop using the word,” he said.

Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) also had a taste of Lim’s wrath when he referred to Khairy as “the richest unemployed man” after he sold ECM Libra shares.

Khairy stood up to object, citing point of order, but Lim went on.

At one point, Lim told Khairy “This is not the fourth floor” as the latter started interjecting further.

Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed managed to “clamp” down on Lim slightly when he went on to estimate the sum allegedly gained from corruption by generalising it to a certain percentage.

“I don’t agree with you quoting the figure in such a way,” said Mohd Zin.

By that time, Lim who had held the floor for more than two hours, was told to conclude in 20 minutes.

He went on to talk about judicial reform and asked for a fair ex-gratia compensation to the individuals affected in the judicial crisis in 1988.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — DAP MP for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang got a taste of his own medicine in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

Lim, when debating the motion of thanks for the royal address, raised several issues which he claimed smacked of corruption and abuse of power by the Barisan Nasional government and questioned the sincerity of BN elected representatives in fighting corruption.

But he was stumped when BN Back Benchers Club (BNBBC) chairman Datuk Tiong King Sing asked him whether the directive of the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government to remove a concrete barrier that bars motorists from by-passing a toll booth on the Cheras-Kajang Highway on their way to Bandar Mahkota Cheras could be categorised as abuse of power.

Lim became silent for a moment and then replied that he did not know of the issue, which caused the House to erupt into chaos with the back benchers and Opposition MPs trading snide remarks.

Tiong persisted in Lim making a stand on the issue but the latter only replied that "I do not at all know what the case is about".

Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Segambut) came to Lim's rescue when he said the PKR-DAP-PAS state government had not abused its power because the barrier was put up illegally in 2005.

But this did not stop Lim's agressive line of questioning when he asked Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir (BN-Jerlun) whether the administration during the era of his father, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was known for cronyism, corruption and nepotism.

Lim's referrence to the personality of leaders, former leaders and elected representatives caused BNBBC deputy chairman Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) to cite Standing Orders 36(6) and 36(3) which stipulates that MPs refrain from touching on the personality of elected representatives and government personnel.

Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia asked Lim to refrain from directly touching on the personality of individuals.

However, in concluding his speech, Lim referred to Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) as "the richest unemployed man in the world", which prompted Khairy to cite Standing Orders 36(3) and 36(6).

Khairy had asked Lim whether all the other Pakatan Rakyat governments would implement the open tender system as the Penang government had done.

Earlier in his speech, Lim had referred to the Malacca chief minister and Umno as those who had instructed the police to arrest three DAP elected representatives for alleged vandalism.

This brought several Malacca BN MPs to their feet and they demanded that Lim withdraw the statement. — Bernama