Lim Kit Siang Gets Suspended And More Controversies From The 13th Parliament Session
The 3rd and final parliamentary session this year kick-starts with fiery debates and controversial discussions.
By Nandini Balakrishnan — 22 Oct 2015, 07:34 PM
Malaysia has been dealing with some very worrying and controversial issues of late.
Therefore, when the much awaited final parliament sitting for 2015 started on Monday, in just a matter of 3 days, the MPs managed to bring up almost all the pressing, unresolved problems the country has been plagued with.
1. Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang is suspended for 6 months from parliament for his alleged remark accusing Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin of misusing his powers as the speaker during 1MDB debates
The motion had noted that Lim had accused Pandikar of abusing his power and "sabotaging" the investigations into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) on Monday during the debate on the appointment of the new Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman.
The motion also said Lim had called Pandikar a "dictator" and that he had politicised his position as the chair of the lower house of Parliament.
"The accusations by The Honourable Gelang Patah is very serious and is an insult to the Speaker of Dewan Rakyat and it is also an insult to the Dewan Rakyat proceedings," read the motion.
themalaysianinsider.com
2. Former Malaysian premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad is slapped with three investigation papers under criminal defamation
The probes under Section 500 of the Penal Code follow two police reports in Klang and one in Jinjang against the former premier.
"(The other two reports) will be referred to the deputy public prosecutor for review and further instructions after the investigation is complete," he said in a written parliamentary reply.
Zahid was responding to a query from Tan Kok Wai (DAP-Cheras) on the outcome of police investigations on Mahathir following his increasingly aggressive efforts to oust Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar previously said Mahathir was being investigated for criminal defamation for accusing Umno of corruption during the Bersih 4 rally.
malaysiakini.com
3. The parliament has so far rejected 7 questions by MPs on all issues related to 1MDB and PM Najib Razak
Tian Chua (PKR-Batu) had his two questions rejected. The first was whether 1MDB accounts had been frozen in Switzerland and Hong Kong, and if the government would be cooperating with the probe there.
His second question was regarding the US Justice Department's reported corruption probe on 1MDB. This was rejected on grounds that questions were based on statements made in the press are there not allowed in the House.
The other question that was spiked was to ask the prime minister whether his lawyers Hafarizam Wan and Aisha Mubarak were being paid by the government for representing him in his pending lawsuit against the WSJ.
A question by Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah (Amanah-Kuala Terengganu) on whether the federal government, through the Terengganu Investment Authority, had wanted to use Terengganu's oil as collateral was also rejected in chambers.
4. The government will shed light on all questions related to the RM2.6 billion issue and 1MDB state fund scandal that PM Najib is allegedly involved in
The government will also answer questions related to the alleged missing US$993 million payment from 1MDB to International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC).
"This question will be answered together with similar questions at a date to be determined later, during this parliamentary session," Azalina said in a written reply.
She was responding to a question from Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) addressed to Najib on the source of the RM2.6 billion donation, how was it spent and how much balance is left.
malaysiakini.com
5. Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin has requested for an official list of MPs that want Najib to step down as PM
"If they can give me a list, say more than 90 or 100 names, then I can pressure the Government that there must be debate," he told reporters at Parliament lobby on Wednesday.
On Monday, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said Pakatan Harapan had agreed to retract Hee Loy Sian’s (PKR-PJ Selatan) motion of no confidence again Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to allow her to submit a fresh motion.
However, on Tuesday, Pandikar reminded Dr Wan Azizah that her application may not fulfil Standing Orders which required 14 days notice before the start of Parliament proceedings.
6. Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz is grateful that the foreign media covered the Bersih 4 so extensively that the ministry can now save funds for tourism promotions
"I want to thank CNN, Al Jazeera and BBC for broadcasting every hour on the Bersih rally for two days.
"They protested against the prime minister, but we got advertising worth billions (of ringgit)," he told the House.
"I can save billions in advertisement by promoting a healthy demonstration," he said, to the laughter of the ruling coalition MPs who cheered him.
malaysiakini.com
7. Ministry's plan to hire English teachers from India to improve local English language skills will be materialised soon
The declining English language standards in the country resulted with the government plan's to start hiring English teachers from India to start teaching in local schools
Image via School AdvisorDeputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan said the teachers would be placed in several rural schools across the country, including ‘hot spot’ schools to help raise competency level of local English teachers in line with the Upholding the Malay Language and Strengthening Command of English (MBMMBI) policy.
Kamalanathan said with the SISC+ programme teachers would be made aware of effective teaching practices and ways of managing the classrooms more efficiently.
In reply to Che Mohamad Zulkifly’s question on quality status of education nationwide with the first wave of the Malaysia Education Blueprint (PPPM) 2015 coming to an end, Kamalanathan said there were some encouraging early achievements.
malaysiakini.com
8. DAP's Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo and Segambut's Lim Lip Eng were kicked out from the parliamentary session for disrespecting speaker Pandikar Amin
Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) was the first to be shown the exit for interfering with parliamentary proceedings, when he stood up to enquire why his emergency motion on toll hikes had been rejected.
Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia then booted Gobind Singh Deo for offending him when the DAP-Puchong MP attempted to defend Lim.
malaysiakini.com
When Gobind stood up, Pandikar explained that both motions were not urgent and could be debated during the budget.
Gobind rebutted, saying the speaker had to be honest. "You have to honest and clear in the decisions you make," he said, angering Pandikar.
malaysiakini.com
9. MARA still does not have answers on the untimely cancellation of sponsorship for students from Taylor's College
Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri skirted round a query on the real reason why Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) has stopped sponsoring students to study at Taylor's University.
Instead, Ismail's written reply to Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) listed how many students the council has sponsored thus far. "For your information, up till September 2015, 521 students sponsored by Mara have studied under various courses at Taylor's University in many fields including foundation programmes, bachelor degrees, masters and other programmes.
On Sept 21, Ismail said Mara will no longer sponsor future students to Taylor's. He said there were multiple reasons for this, but did not list them.