'Take action against unparliamentary MP'

KUALA LUMPUR: MPs from DAP have called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to take action against Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN - Pasir Salak) who used the words “b***** b******” against M. Kulasegaran ( DAP - Ipoh Barat) to prevent a recurrence.

Lim Kit Siang (DAP - Ipoh Timur) said Tajuddin’s behaviour was totally unacceptable.

“His behavior is a disgrace to MPs,’’ said Lim, urging Abdullah take serious attention to prevent a recurrence.

Lim said this Thursday at the Parliament lobby where Nga Kor Ming (DAP - Taiping) said Tajuddin, who was once a state assemblyman for Kampung Gajah, nearly assaulted him.

Nga said he subsequantly lodged a police report against Tajuddin and also called for his datukship to be revoked.

Kulasegaran said it was uncalled for when Tajuddin said “Let’s go and fight outside”.

“Why should there be a fist fight? We can disagree to agree,’’ he said.

Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said Tajuddin was easily provoked but should not have used the unparliamentary words.

“I was upset that he used the words. It was not right. It disturbed me. It also disturbed me for not sending him out of Dewan at that time,’’ said Dr Wan Junaidi. Inside Dewan Rakyat, Karpal Singh (DAP - Bukit Gelugor) raised the matter again, pointing out that based on the Standing Order 64, action should be taken against Tajuddin for using such words.

The Dewan went into an uproar and Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia told the Dewan not to interfere when an MP was speaking.

“We are not playing the fool now. Don’t interfere, I want to hear Bukit Gelugor because he is the longest-serving MP,” he told the Dewan when some burst out laughing.

(Pandikar Amin had adopted Karpal’s use of the words “main-main”, or playing the fool, which had caused the latter to be suspended from the Dewan for two days recently.)

“Tuan Speaker, saya tidak ‘main-main’,” Karpal Singh replied when the Dewan continued to murmur and Pandikar Amin said that if the MPs continue to interfere in the questioning session, he would walk out of the place.

Karpal Singh continued by saying that the words Tajuddin used could not just be retracted. He added that Tajuddin must apologise or disciplinary action be taken against him in that he should be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee. “Can I have a ruling on this, Tuan Speaker?” he asked.

Pandikar Amin said while he agreed with Karpal Singh, the problem was deemed resolved when both Kulasegaran and Tajuddin had retracted both their statements.

“If any MPs do this again, I will not hesitate to take stern action,” he said.

On Wednesday, Kulasegaran had said that many Indians in Pasir Salak hated Tajuddin and the latter called him a b***** b******.

LEE YUK PENG and LOH FOON FONG
Star Online
06/11/08