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©The
Sun (Used by permission)
by Husna Yusop, Llew-Ann Phang and Giam Say Khoon at the Dewan Rakyat today
KUALA LUMPUR (May 12, 2008): The maiden debate of Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau),
the son-in-law of the prime minister, on the motion of thanks for the royal
address in Parliament today, turned into a name-calling affair.
Khairy riled the Opposition MPs when he gave a new definition to the acronym PKR
(Parti Keadilan Rakyat). He called it Projek Khinzir Raksasa (monstrous
pig-farming project) -- an apparent reference to the Selangor government's
approval of the pig-farming project in Sepang..
Not to be outdone, Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) defined the project as Projek
Babi Negara (national pig project) -- a reference to BN.
The name-calling started soon after MPs from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) – defined as
the 'Public Relations' alliance by Khairy -- were not allowed to seek
clarification despite being hurled various accusations by Khairy in his speech.
Khairy had declined to allow any MP to have the floor during his debate, giving
the 30-minute time limit as his reason for doing so.
Matters heated up after Khairy accused the Opposition of fishing for votes in
the general election when it promised to reduce fuel prices.
Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) then called for Point-of-Order referring to
Rule 36 of the Standing Orders and refused to divulge its provision until Khairy
sat down.
"This is not a reading lesson," Karpal Singh explained, to which Khairy said
there was no point to his Rule-of-Order and continued reading his speech,
calling for a briefing to be organised so Petronas and the government can
clarify about the monies and to clear any impression that there were funds that
could be used to reduce the price of fuel.
At this point Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) was also refused to seek clarification
as Khairy quipped: "What? You don’t understand? I’m not giving way, please sit
down."
In his debate, he congratulated the government on its steps of reform to the
administration, including the announcement of the Judicial Appointments
Commission, the Malaysian Commission of Anti-Corruption, the government’s
ability to maintain a low price of fuel as compared with other Asean countries.
"The Opposition alleged that BN leaders are arrogant and elite and ask us to
look at ourselves. However, just two months after being called Yang Berhormat,
who is arrogant in the house and brags that they will be in power of Putrajaya
in a few months?
"Who is actually setting the democratic principles in the back seat by offering
BN members a place in their party through the back door to shape the
government?" Khairy questioned.
"They do not dare see their own reflection of a brittle coalition and that is
why I say it is a Public Relations Alliance which looks nice in the eyes of the
people, attractive and looks strong but actually, has nothing fundamental," he
charged.
This then erupted into a loud war of words between the numerous PR and BN MPs
who shouted insults at each other simultaneously, almost throughout the
remaining of Khairy’s debate.
When Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee finally took charge of the situation
several minutes later, he held that he was limiting the next parliamentarians to
debate on their motion of thanks to 20 minutes only.
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Circular No 304/2008
