Husna Yusop, Llew-Ann Phang and Giam Say Khoon at the Dewan Rakyat today, The Sun
KUALA LUMPUR (May 12, 2008): The maiden debate of Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau), the son-in-law of the prime minister, on the motion of thanks for the royal address in Parliament today, turned into a name-calling affair.
Khairy riled the Opposition MPs when he gave a new definition to the acronym PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat). He called it Projek Khinzir Raksasa (monstrous pig-farming project) -- an apparent reference to the Selangor government's approval of the pig-farming project in Sepang..
Not to be outdone, Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) defined the project as Projek Babi Negara (national pig project) -- a reference to BN.
The name-calling started soon after MPs from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) – defined as the 'Public Relations' alliance by Khairy -- were not allowed to seek clarification despite being hurled various accusations by Khairy in his speech.
Khairy had declined to allow any MP to have the floor during his debate, giving the 30-minute time limit as his reason for doing so.
Matters heated up after Khairy accused the Opposition of fishing for votes in the general election when it promised to reduce fuel prices.
Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) then called for Point-of-Order referring to Rule 36 of the Standing Orders and refused to divulge its provision until Khairy sat down.
"This is not a reading lesson," Karpal Singh explained, to which Khairy said there was no point to his Rule-of-Order and continued reading his speech, calling for a briefing to be organised so Petronas and the government can clarify about the monies and to clear any impression that there were funds that could be used to reduce the price of fuel.
At this point Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) was also refused to seek clarification as Khairy quipped: "What? You don’t understand? I’m not giving way, please sit down."
In his debate, he congratulated the government on its steps of reform to the administration, including the announcement of the Judicial Appointments Commission, the Malaysian Commission of Anti-Corruption, the government’s ability to maintain a low price of fuel as compared with other Asean countries.
"The Opposition alleged that BN leaders are arrogant and elite and ask us to look at ourselves. However, just two months after being called Yang Berhormat, who is arrogant in the house and brags that they will be in power of Putrajaya in a few months?
"Who is actually setting the democratic principles in the back seat by offering BN members a place in their party through the back door to shape the government?" Khairy questioned.
"They do not dare see their own reflection of a brittle coalition and that is why I say it is a Public Relations Alliance which looks nice in the eyes of the people, attractive and looks strong but actually, has nothing fundamental," he charged.
This then erupted into a loud war of words between the numerous PR and BN MPs who shouted insults at each other simultaneously, almost throughout the remaining of Khairy’s debate.
When Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee finally took charge of the situation several minutes later, he held that he was limiting the next parliamentarians to debate on their motion of thanks to 20 minutes only.
'Pakatan' Merely A PR Exercise - Khairy(Bernama) KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 -- A backbencher said Monday that the opposition coalition comprising PAS, DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) known as `Pakatan Rakyat' is merely a public relations (PR) exercise.
"The coalition is purely a PR exercise. PAS and DAP are only putting up a show so that they will look impressive and strong in the eyes of the public. But in reality, there is clearly no mutual understanding basically," he said when debating the motion of thanks on the Royal address at the Dewan Rakyat Monday.
He questioned the PAS stand on the social contract raised by Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) so that it would be reviewed as well as the issue on the Islamic state pursued by PAS.
The lack of response to the issues raised by Lim portrayed the Islamic party as a `toothless lion' and afraid of the mastermind that PAS was collaborating with, Khairy said.
"We in the ruling party are also not ideal and have our weaknesses. But for as long as the Barisan Nasional (BN) is helming the federal government, we will defend the social contract that is enshrined in the Constitution," he said.
Khairy also questioned why Pakatan Rakyat could not give a commitment to do away with the New Economic Policy in all the states under its administration for greater uniformity and consistency.
He said the inconsistency was apparent in the five states administered by the Pakatan Rakyat where in Kedah and Kelantan it was an Islamic State, a Malaysian Malaysia in Penang, a puppet government in Perak and the pig breeding project in Selangor.
He also asked for a special briefing to be held in Parliament where a detailed statement would be tabled so that the financial position and where the Petronas profits were being channelled to would be clearly understood by all members of Parliament.
According to the Petronas financial statement 2007, the government received RM48.3 billion in terms of taxes and royalty and this amount represented 66.2 per cent of the gross profits of Petronas while the balance was utilised for oil explorations in foreign countries.
Khairy also suggested that the government adopted the `e-perolehan' system which was capable of saving as much as 25 per cent in terms of cost for the purchase of items as was being practised by mega companies in the world.
He also proposed the `track and trace' system in the government administration so that the public could obtain immediate and current feedback on their applications which would improve the delivery system and reduce corruption.
In his speech, Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) defended his statement which touched on the rights of the Malay Rulers, which he said had not violated the law.
"So far, 20 police reports had been made against me, even 2,000 police reports can be made, but what I had stated (on the issue of the transfer of the Perak Islamic Religious Department Director Datuk Jamry Suri) did not breach the law," he said.
He hoped the Attorney-General would give appropriate consideration when the investigation reports on the case were sent to him very soon.
The Dewan Rakyat will sit again Tuesday.
Opposition Disturbs Khairy's Debate
(Bernama) KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 -- Realising that the opposition members in parliament were trying to disrupt his debate on the royal address, Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin refused to make way.
Khairy was debating on the motion of thanks for the speech by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the opening of parliament's 12th session recently.
He also said that the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) had lied to the people when he constantly boasted and reminded the people that when he was Finance Minister, there was no oil price hike.
"He forgot to inform that when he was Finance Minister, the world price for crude oil was only US$12 to US$26 a barrel. Now the price has exceeded US$120 a barrel. So what was so difficult during his time?"
Khairy said he refused to allow the other MPs to interrupt his speech because of the limited time given to speak.
This caused Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) and some of the other lawmakers to refer to Section 31 (b) of the parliament Standing Order on the right of parliamentarians to give clarification, 36(4) on using disrespectful language and 36(10) on using words that could arouse anger and racial tension.
Zulkifli Noordin (PKR-Kulim-Bandar Baharu) stood up and said: "If (you are) scared, then don't be an MP. Might as well as just switch on the tape (recorder)."
Khairy had earlier referred to the PKR abbreviation as Projek Khinzir Raksasa (Mammoth Pig Project) which prompted some of the lawmakers, including N. Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai) and Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR-Machang), to stand up to seek clarification.
Mahfuz Omar (Pas-Pokok Sena) then suggested that Khairy read his speech to Kemas kindergarten children if he did not wish to be interrupted before saying that PBN stood for Projek Babi Nasional (National Pig Project), drawing laughter in the House.
Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee appealed for calm and said that Khairy did not go against the Standing Order and could continue with the debate.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Khairy's debate on royal address riles oppositionFauwaz Abdul Aziz | May 12, 08 8:56pm
Khairy Jamaluddin's (BN-Rembau) maiden speech while debating the royal address lived up to expectations - that it would turn riotous - as all hell broke loose in the house today after he let fly a litany of offending remarks about the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
He started civilly enough by talking of matters of common agreement such as the tragedy in Burma following the cyclone, the planned restructuring of the Anti-Corruption Agency and the proposed commission for the appointment and promotion of judges.
Even when he touched the Malaysian Commission on Anti-Corruption and plans to enact legislation to protect whistleblowers, the only interjection was from Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud (PAS-Kota Raja), who remarked that there were no such plans to enact the latter.
He (photo: right) also proposed several measures to reduce time spent on government procurement processes and to increase their transparency, as well as recommendations to ensure that government subsidies and other funds reach the ‘strategic' sectors and the poorer sections of the population.
Things started picking up, however, the moment he turned to the issue of rising oil prices.
Criticising PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim for citing his own track eight-year record as finance minister to prove that oil prices can be kept low, Khairy said Anwar had sought to "fool" the people by comparing his times with the current global economic situation.
Crude oil during Anwar's time as finance minister cost between only US$12 and US$26 per barrel, while current oil prices have exceeded US$120 per barrel, Khairy noted.
"What was so difficult during his time? World oil prices were very low. Don't thump your chests (out of pride) while fooling the people," he said.
Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR-Machang), at this point, stood up to seek clarification, but was turned down by Khairy: "Sit down. We can debate on this later."
About ten minutes later into his speech, Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) also interjected - by asking whether Khairy should be allowed to read out his speech - but was similarly, albeit cordially, turned down.
Khairy's politeness was absent by the time Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) got up to object: "Don't you understand this language? Sit down," said Khairy.
Turning the heat on
It was when Khairy turned to the last two pages of his speech, which were dedicated to his criticisms of Pakatan, when the heat in the Dewan was turned up.
"They accuse BN leaders as being arrogant and elitist, that BN should look itself in the mirror. But after only two months as Yang Berhormat, who are the ones so proud and arrogant in this house... as to predict and pronounce that they will take over Putrajaya in a matter of months?
"Who is actually betraying principles of democracy by offering BN MPs to jump parties, by seeking to form government through the back door? Who are the ones not looking themselves in the mirror?" he asked.
At this point, several Pakatan MPs were already standing up and voiced their object aloud without waiting to be given permission to speak.
Ignoring them still, Khairy went on talking of the tensions between PAS and DAP over the issue of Islamic state. Taking a swipe at Pakatan Rakyat by writing it off as only a ‘public relations' exercise, Khairy said on matters of fundamentals there was no agreement.
PAS projects itself as a strong Islamic party, but appears to be only a "toothless lion", fearful of its own partner, said Khairy.
"My question is, does PAS agree with member of parliament from Ipoh Timor (Lim Kit Siang) who's calling for the social contract to be reviewed and to deny any differences between bumiputeras and non-bumiputeras, between Muslims and non-Muslims?
"Will they leave (DAP to make) the call without answering it? Just let it blow pass with the wind? Like talking to a wall? This is the same silence that has met Bukit Gelugor (Karpal) upon his insult of the institution of the Malay Rulers in this August house," said Khairy.
By this time, all hell had broken loose. While other Pakatan MPs were shouting at Khairy, Karpal raised a point of order and called for action against Khairy for "misleading the house." His objection was turned down by the deputy speaker.
Continuing on with his speech amidst the uproar on the side of the opposition parties - and BN backbenchers returning the favour and cheering Khairy on - the latter riled them up even further by deriding their respective state governments.
"The Islamic state in Kelantan and Kedah; Malaysian Malaysia in Penang; the puppet government in Perak; and the pork project in Selangor. While each is sleeping on the same bed, on the same mattress, on the same pillow, each one of them dreams of different things," said Khairy.
He also reserved a particularly offensive label for the PKR in Selangor when he referred to the state government's pig-breeding project by using the same abbreviation and labeling it as ‘Project Khinzir Raksasa' P-K-R (giant pork project).
No semblance of decorum
Ignoring Zulkifli Nordin (PKR-Kulim Bandar Baru) who called for a retraction, Khairy went on reading his speech even as the house lost all semblance of decorum.
"Don't be afraid Rembau!" shouted Zulkifli (photo). Zulkifli was unable, however, to elicit a reaction from Khairy - who had proceeded to talk of Pakatan Rakyat's wild dreams of "flying carpets and turbans", "flying rockets" and "flying pigs".
Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) said: "If Rembau is going to read his speech without allowing (for us to get) clarifications, he might as well just read his speech in his own house!"
It was when Zulkifli resorted to the same tactic used by Khairy and shouted out ‘Babi Negeri!' (Pig of the country) - however Khairy and other BN backbenchers shouted and demanded a retraction.
In the end, the uproar that overwhelmed the house meant Khairy had to wind up before completing his speech, which he did by referring to Dr Mohd Hatta bin Md Ramli (PAS-Kuala Krai), who had previously cited a famous adage on politics.
"If Kuala Krai said ‘absolute power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, the act of PR proves that ‘even a little power corrupts very quickly!" said Khairy.
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