I will move a motion under Standing Order 43 to challenge and review the ruling of Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee condoning the gross breach of parliamentary privilege by former Minister and Barisan Nasional MP for Rompin Datuk Jamaluddin Jarjis in trying to sabotage my speech during the 2009 Budget debate on the Ministry of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage on Monday in misleading the House by falsely claiming that I had said “the Malays treated the Chinese like slaves” when referring to “ketuanan Melayu”.
Jamaluddin was being most mischievous, irresponsible and racist when he deliberately repeated at least ten times in various variation of the false accusation that I had said the Malays regard the Chinese as slaves to try to paint me as racist and anti-Malay – when he was the one who was demonstrating his worst communal colours.
He even challenged me to apologise and withdraw the allegation when this is verified in a check with the Hansard the next day.
A check with the Hansard has proven that Jamaluddin was telling a big lie, which he compounded by repeating it ten times in the House on Monday, and it is now clearly confirmed that I had never said that the Malays treated the Chinese as slaves.
This is a gross breach of parliamentary privilege, compounded by his deliberate repetition of the lie ten times, hoping to turn a lie into a truth by sheer repetition!
If a Pakatan Rakyat MP had done to a Barisan Nasional Minister what Jamaluddin did to me in Parliament on Monday, the Pakatan Rakyat MP would have been stopped within seconds and suspended from the House, let alone being allowed to repeat the lie ten times, or referred to the Committee of Privileges for more serious disciplinary action to be meted out to him.
Why should there be one rule for Pakatan Rakyat MPs and another rule for Barisan Nasional MPs in the Malaysian Parliament?
I call on all right-thinking and justice-loving MPs, regardless of party whether from Pakatan Rakyat or Barisan Nasional, to take a common stand to censure Jamaluddin for his gross breach of parliamentary privilege in Parliament on Monday.
It is most pertinent that when I repeatedly asked in the House on Monday whether UMNO MPs would support the concept of “ketuanan rakyat Malaysia”, there was total silence and strenuous evasion with Jamaluddin trying to distract the issue by lying that I had accused the Malays of treating the Chinese as slaves in “ketuanan Melayu” concept.
In actual fact, it is the Umno leaders and Umno-putras who have enslaved all Malaysians – ordinary Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans and Ibans – by trotting out the “ketuanan Melayu” concept, which has nothing to do with the position of Malay Rulers and is not to be found in the Merdeka Constitution.
Last year, the government spent RM100 million to celebrate 50th Merdeka anniversary of the nation. Why are the UMNO and Barisan Nasional leaders not prepared to come forward to state clearly and unequivocally that they are in full support of “ketuanan rakyat Malaysia”?
In refusing to fully endorse the concept of “ketuanan rakyat Malaysian”, aren’t the Barisan Nasional government abandoning the Bangsa Malaysia concept of Vision 2020?
It is sad that Umno leaders are not prepared to endorse the concept of “ketuanan rakyat Malaysia” -, which show that they are not yet prepared to become fully Malaysian leaders. They should give serious thought to the very eloquent and heart-wrenching speech by the DAP MP for Batu Gajah, Fong Po Kuan, in the debate on Monday who asked on behalf of all Malaysians why they are not regarded as full Malaysians when their sole loyalty is to this country and no other!
Lim Kit Siang
PEOPLE'S POWER
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