Speaker ejects Kit Siang till 1pm

KUALA LUMPUR: Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang was ejected by the Speaker from the House till 1pm Wednesday for refusing to apologise after calling Barisan Nasional politicians power crazy.

All Opposition MPs walked out of the House.

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Parliament: Umno Youth men questioned over scuffle

KUALA LUMPUR: Three Selangor Umno Youth members accused of having confronted Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh on Feb 26 turned up on Wednesday to give their testimony to the Parliamentary committee investigating the scuffle.

The members are from the Gombak, Serdang and the Petaling Jaya Utara divisions.

Another Umno youth member from Shah Alam was also called in by the committee to give his testimony as an eye-witness.

The four were with the committee for around 30 minutes.

The members were accompanied by Datuk Reezal Merican, who is contending for the deputy Umno Youth chief post, and some 20 others from 22 Selangor Umno divisions.

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Gobind suspended one year from Parliament

KUALA LUMPUR: Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo has been suspended from Parliament without allowance and benefits for one year for alleging that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was involved in a murder case and for contempt against the Deputy Speaker.

Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia made the decision on Monday after the matter was put to vote and a majority of MPs were in favour of suspending Gobind Singh.

On Thursday, Gobind Singh was ejected from the House for the third time when he kept on speaking about Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu’s murder case although the chair had ordered him to stop.

Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee ruled that it was sub-judice to talk about a case that was pending in court.

The outburst occurred after Najib had finished replying to points raised during the debate on the mini budget.

Later at the Parliament lobby, Gobind Singh said it was most unfortunate that he had been suspended.

“The fight does not stop here. I will focus more on constituency work from now one and in one year, I will be back,” he said.

He also said he was disappointed that he was not given a chance to defend himself in the House.

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In a day of shame, Parliament came close to emulating the Taiwan legislature - Security tightened at Parliament

KUALA LUMPUR: Security measures at Parliament building were beefed up on Monday after the scuffle last Thursday.

Police and security officers were seen outside the main gate of the road leading to Parliament building. All drivers had to either show their tags or inform security of their intentions in coming to Parliament before they were allowed to drive in.

Except for Members of Parliament (MPs) and Parliament staff, all drivers -- whether they were civil servants, members of the media, contract workers or visitors -- had to surrender their working tags or identity cards in exchange for Parliament tags right after they entered the main gate.

Previously, they only had to surrender their tags or identity cards when they entered the building.

Chief administrator Datuk Kamaruddin Mohamd Baria said this would be an interim measure pending a decision by Dewan Rakyat after an investigation committee set up last Thursday had completed its findings.

The eight-men committee was set up after DAP national chairman Karpal Singh told the House that he had been blocked by a group comprising members of Umno Youth at the entrance. A scuffle had ensued.

The committee, led by Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, comprises his deputy Datuk Ronald Kiandee, and MPs such as Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (BN-Bintulu), Nancy Shukri (BN-Batang Sadong), Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn (BN-Alor Gajah), R. Sivarasa (PKR-Subang), Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) and Datuk Kamaruddin Jaffar (PAS-Tumpat).

It would conduct its probe in chambers, then report back to the House with its recommendation for a decision to be made in the House.

Other new security measures may be imposed later, depending on the recommendation and decision of Dewan Rakyat, Kamaruddin said.

Karpal was however far from impressed with the heightened security measures and suggested that when it comes to guests, only those invited by an MP should be allowed in.

“Whoever comes to Parliament must be sponsored by an MP, and the MP must be held responsible for whoever comes in here,” he said at the Parliament lobby.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz also proposed that the invitation system, which was once practised in Parliament, be implemented again.

“Perhaps one MP can be allowed to extend 10 invitations,” he said.

He added that the beefed-up security at Parliament was a decision made by the Speaker, and hoped that the measures would be made permanent.

Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said security at Parliament were too loose compared with to those in other countries such as Australia, Bangladesh and India.

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PARLIAMENT Government says no to Race Relations Act

KUALA LUMPUR, TUES: There is no need for a Race Relations Act because current legislations are enough to tackle issues related to race relations and unity.

Instead, the government preferred to study existing provisions and review them.

Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage deputy minister Teng Boon Soon said despite calls from various quarters to institute a Race Relations Act, the government felt that current laws are enough to keep the peace.

Among the laws are the Sedition Act, Internal Security Act and the Printing and Printing Presses Act.

"The cabinet has decided that there is no need for a Race Relations Act as existing legislations are enough to tackle unity-related issues
that were raised.

"It is better for the government to study existing provisions and update them rather than coming up with a new act," he told Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah).

He said to overcome racial religious issues, unity values should be emphasised and this can be done via education.

Besides understanding the principles of Rukun Negara and be tolerant towards one another, Teng said the media, leaders and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) played an important role to strenghten unity among everyone.

"One of the main problems on unity nowadays stem from politicians. Everyone should be more sensitive and stop making fiery statements that could affect racial-religious sentiments," he said, adding that people should practise the principle of the Rukun Negara.

News by NST Online..

p/s Ironically, those who create more racial religious issues and creating disunity are those politicians themselves.. how about that, huh?? So, I think let them put away all their differences in political and ideologies first then talk about unity!!