©The Nut Graph (Used by permission)
By Gan Pei Ling
"If you don't hear from us at 10am, you should all storm the building."
PARTI Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Member of Parliament (MP) for Kulim–Bandar Baru Zulkifli Noordin, ordering 300 protesters to storm the Bar Council headquarters on 9 August 2008 before they knew whether the council's forum on religious conversions was going ahead.
The forum went ahead, and Zulkifli eventually barged into the building. Subsequently, the forum was cancelled, and Zulkifli declared it a victory for the protesters.
He also accused the Bar Council of organising the forum to provoke Muslims and for "Islam–bashing". (Source: Rival groups unified in protest, Malaysiakini, 9 August 2009)
"They have already discussed with the police to stop it ... it's not because of us ... We were just there to put forward our views ... "
Zulkifli, denying that the Bar Council forum was called off because of the protest in which he took part.
He also accused the media of distorting the situation in their reports. (Source: Zulkifli defends his action at Bar forum, Malaysiakini, 18 August 2008)
"... the right thing to do is to settle the dispute in a civil manner."
Zulkifli, expressing regret that several Pakatan Rakyat MPs were suspended in Parliament for shouting and wearing headbands that said "Bubar DUN!!" in the Dewan Rakyat.
Those slapped with two–day suspensions included Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham, and Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming.
While stopping short of saying the PR MPs involved were in the wrong, Zulkifli said, "Ideally we should control our anger in a way that is more polite and civilised." He added that PR reps should not have stooped to Barisan Nasional's "low level", and that elected representatives should set a good example to the new generation. (Source: Parliment Kecoh Lagi, Zulkifli Noordin's blog, 15 June 2009)