The Hypocrisy Continues
After saying that he hears the message which the people have sent him through the 12th General Election results, this is what His Sleepiness has to say:
Avoid debates on sensitive issues, PM tells MPs KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 ─ Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday reminded MPs not to debate issues touching on racial sensitivity at the Dewan Rakyat sitting as the Sedition Act could be enforced in the august house.
"They must ensure that the debate is of quality and at the same time remember that issues that can raise racial sensitivity, issues that breach the Sedition Act must be avoided.
"This is because the Sedition Act can be enforced in the Dewan Rakyat, in other words, the Sedition Act is also applicable in the Dewan Rakyat.
"They are not free to talk on anything that breaches the Act," he said after a meeting with Barisan Nasional (BN) members of the Dewan Negara, Dewan Rakyat and State Legislative Assemblies at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).
He said such issues should be avoided as they could create tension and problems in the country.
Abdullah also advised MPs to understand the issues at hand as well as the Standing Orders so that the debates would be effective.
"If you don't know and speak wrongly (in the debate), then there is no meaning, it gives no significance at all. They (MPs) must be firm and confident to come up with good debates," he said.
On the handful of MPs who use coarse language, he said such words would not have been uttered if they truly understood the Standing Orders.
"Those who utter such words are also admonished by the Speaker. Don't speak as you like, waiting for the Speaker to reprimand, don't speak on matters that will invite a reprimand from the Speaker.
"Such words cannot be used in Parliament. It is unparliamentary. That's why I said they should read the Standing Orders," Abdullah added. ─ Bernama
------------------------So, why hasn't any action been taken under the Sedition Act for this? As I recall, this keris waving episode caused grave concerns and tensions amongst the non-Malays.
Wasn't there a Minister who not too long proclaimed in Parliament that non-Malays should go back to where they came from if they didn't like it here? It's hard to conceive how such a callous and insensitive remark could not have damaged ethnic relations in the country but was any action taken against this Minister.
Why shouldn't we debate sensitive issues? Should we only talk about things which we all agree on? No. Parliament is the place where the people's representatives have to raise and debate concerns affecting their constituencies. As long as the quality of the proceedings are conducted with decorum and with courtesy, no issue should be too sensitive to be discussed. Perhaps His Sleepiness should see how the British Parliamentary proceedings are conducted and how all the MPs there are capable of thinking on their feet, which would put most of our own MPs to shame in terms of their eloquence and ability to rebut arguments spontaneously without having to shout "Bodoh! Bodoh! Bodoh!" across the floor.
