Tuesday 25 June 2013

First Day in Parliament



I am seated next to Dr Jeyakumar of Sungai Siput. He sits on my right. On my left is the MP for Penampang, Darrel Leiking. I am in good company. Dr Jeyakumar is a medical specialist who has but given up on medicine. Instead he spends more time as the MP for Sungai Siput. In the recent elections he defeated MIC’s Devamany.
Darrel Leiking is a successful lawyer practising in Kota Kinabalu. He has recently come onto the radar screen strongly protesting against the unjust refusal to grant entry for MP Nurulizzah Anwar into Sabah.
The first day started off badly for the BN lawmakers. The first order of business was the election of the Speaker. PM Najib proposed Pandikar Amin Mulia, the incumbent speaker. Pakatan on their part proposed the name of a former high court judge, Abdul Kadir Sulaiman. The proposals were put to the ballot.
A point of order was raised by Pakatan lawmakers questioning the necessity of signing AND putting up the name of the signatory. Standing order #4(4) states that the member needs only to sign the ballot. The name of the member is not required. Once the ballot is signed AND the name of the member is stated, the vote is no more confidential.
This is of course a trivial matter. But parliamentary business is not to be trivialised.  If the standing orders provide so, then it must be followed to the letter. Failure to stick to the letter, suggests that a sloppy mind is at work. Otherwise, what’s the point of having that particular standing order?
Having to clearly state down your name suggests that even in the trivial business of electing a speaker, the leader of the BN government wants to ensure 100% compliance. He has no confidence in the conduct of his party men perhaps mindful of the rumours circulating around, that BN MPs are abandoning him.
Later, the speaker was perhaps playing one-upmanship when he stated that actually the elected MPs cannot raise points of order because they have not taken oath as MP. They are merely present at the invitation of the speaker of parliament to witness the formal declaration of him as speaker.
The Standing Order reads: On the first day of the meeting of the House after a general election, members having assembled at the time and place duly appointed and being seated in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 2, the Setiausaha shall read the Proclamation of the Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong by which the meeting was summoned, and thereafter the Order of Business on such day shall include—
Which to me means, when the Setiausaha duly and dutifully made such declaration, the business of the House starts and elected members are therefore able to deliberate on such matters related to the Order of Business even before the Speaker is formally declared. Otherwise, how could we affirm his formal declaration?
If these verbal skirmishes are an indicator for the coming days, this 13th parliament will be a lively session.

32 comments:

  1. Congratulations. All the best.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations you are finally in the Dewan and be able to give us some first hand reports on the goings-on there.
    As for now Parliament belongs to UMNO. It cares not about Parliamentary Standing orders. It takes orders from the PM and UMNO.
    Even the appointment of 2 Ministers and 3 Deputy Ministers are unconstitutional.
    UMNO thinks it owns the country and the Laws.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dato Sak,

    The Speaker Pandikar thinks he is the Almighty in the Parliament. Its about time the Pakatan MPs put this sycophant in his place in the 13th Parliamentary sessions.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congrats Dato.. In the past I never cared much for parliamentary sittings but am now looking forward to the 'lively' exchanges in the ensuing months... Give it your best!...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Padan muka jadi MP pembangkang!! jadi barua cina boleh la awak jadi anjing Tokong!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yes Dato Sak, from now on Parliament is going to be lively with you on board together with the other smart minds of the Opposition - people who want to see a better Malaysia. Looking at utterly inferior quality of MPs on the other side, I am sure they can only continue in their tradition to bluster, bully, lie, cheat and call names.
    Give them hell!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Only watching you at the swearing in ceremony. Not interested in anyone else. So Pakatan PM has sworn in as MP. Has acknowledged Najib as PM. Foto shoot with The Speaker and The PM. Dining with Najib and Muh. Why are his foot soldiers still lying om the Parliament road. No more demos okay. It's time for business.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congrats! Show those aye-aye pussies and Munafiquns the real meaning of justice and freedom in Islam.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Congrats Datuk. Please raise hell in Parliament and give them a socking.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dato,congratulations as you are now officially the MP from Raub.Hope to have lively and sensible debates coming from both sides.All the best.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anon 25 June 2013 18:25,

    "..satu komentar yg paling "bijak", drp satu keturunan yg bodoh.."

    Selepas 55 tahun merdeka Melayu masih hisap puting tajaan UMNO; hasil drp Melayu yang tertipu dek ketuanannya.

    ~ Cermin Hikmat

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congrat.

    The first day at Parliament is like first day in school? or first day at work?

    Your work just started. Please raise the issue of HAZE IN PARLIMENT AND FOLLOW UP DILIGENTY

    EVERY YEAR WE HAVE HAZE PROBLEMS, MAJOR HAZE PROBLEM EVERY 3 TO 5 YEARS

    I THINK THE GOVERNMENT IS SLEEPING ON THE JOB ON THIS MATTER (APART FROM 1000 OTHER WORKS)

    THIS MAJOR ISSUES AFFECTING MILLION PEOPLE DIRECTLY, PLSE FUCK THEM UP TO PERMANENTLY SOLVED THE PROBLEMS NOT HALF BAKED WORK AS USUAL

    ONCE HAZE IS GONE, ALL FUCKINGLY FORGOTTEN. THAT THE PROBLEM WITH OUR GOV MENTALITY

    PLEASE PERMANENTLY SOLVED THE HAZE PROBLEM

    THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

    PR SUPPORTER

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congrats YB Dato,

    Do your best is all I ask from you. Be fair to ALL. Set a good example, jadi YB Contoh.

    Best wishes.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Congratulations Sak!
    With you in Parliament we have hope. With all good wishes!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ah Jib kor must be avoiding u at all cost :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Congrats. Looking forward to your lively and brillant debate in Parliament.

    ReplyDelete
  17. moses kata: tahniah Dato', jalankan tugas dgn berhimah no playx ok.

    ReplyDelete
  18. "Padan muka jadi MP pembangkang!! jadi barua cina boleh la awak jadi anjing Tokong!!!"


    Such stupidity.

    It is an honour to have the legendary Dato Sak be an MP for the opposition. I am looking 5-10 years down the road. Dato Sak has the chops to become a DPM or PM when the opposition wins the 15th general elections.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Salam Sdr Ariff (Yg Berkhidmat).

    Tahniah dan syabas kerana telah melangkah setapak lagi dlm mengejar impian sdr walaupun impian di peringkat negeri tidak tercapai. InsyaAllah, mungkin rezeki sdr belum sampai di peringkat negeri.Tapi siapa tahu, mungkin satu masa ianya akan dikurnia olihNya.

    Sdr. berada disuatu platform yg baik untuk mencernas minda sdr untuk di dengar disatu forum tertinggi di Malaysia.
    Walaupun untuk menyatakan yg benar itu pedih, tetapi disitulah terletaknya tangungjawab kita untuk menyatakan kebenaran, meletakkan hak kepada yg berhak, memperbetulkan yg terpesong.
    Pedilikan suara2 lagu lama yg didik olih umno, merekan akan pupus juga. Sementara itu diharap pihak kita dapat membuat perubahan sementara di beri kesempatan dan peluang ini.

    Sekali lagi diucapkan syabas dan tahniah kpd sdr.... (maaf saya tak suka gelaran feudal)....myi



    ReplyDelete
  20. Anon 25-06-2013 18:25:

    Kiranya ada Melayu yang sudah hilang daratan, minta jangan hilang akal. Selalu memartabatkan bangsa berdebat secara beradab lantas tidak dicap biadab.

    Pencapaian UMNO dahulu kala jangan disalahertikan sebagai kurniaan hak mutlak tidak boleh dicabar selama-lamanya oleh sesiapapun. Warga UMNO ini malaikatkah?

    Air beriak tanda tidak dalam

    ReplyDelete
  21. Congratulations!!!

    I'm not a voter in Raub constituency but I like your blog and your wittiness.

    I hope you and the rest of PR will one da, which I certainly hope it will not be too long, that you and them will make this nation a better place for all the rakyat to live in harmony and prosperity.

    Certainly certainly wipe out corruptions.






    ReplyDelete
  22. Sak,
    All the best in Parliament.

    Please set an example of what a stateman should be.

    You might have a market for a book titled "Parliamentarian for Dummies and a guide for the rest of us".

    Biggest market might be at the lobby of PWTC. MP's there might be a little shy to buy...can ask their drivers to purchase on their behalf. They might even become MLM resellers for the publication! Some passive income is always welcome in light of the high costs of living in the capital city.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Salam Dato' YB
    Congratulations on your first day of many terms to come 2 days shy of your birthday.

    Happy Birthday and many happy returns! Semoga dipanjangkan umur dan rezeki dan berjaya dalam perjuangan!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Good job on the National Petroluem Council. Darnell should be demanding Najib on the Oil Agreement. It is null n void.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Happy Birthday Unc Sak. May you have many happy more birthdays to come as YB. Honor you as my dad who is two years younger.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Time to whip out that AK and give'em hell,Dato Sak!

    ReplyDelete
  27. aku rase gaji wakil rakyat BN paling senang , macam gaji buta,


    DUN RM 4K lepas tuh MP RM 6K , RM 10K.. senang betul.... hanyaer kerja sebulan semasa pilihan raya.

    tapi.. ramai pulak memuja kehebatan BN... ala... lawak gila

    ReplyDelete
  28. Congrats Yang Berkhidmat Dato Arif !

    Pakatan MPs sworned in because they hold themselves accountable to
    the Rakyat who had voted them in and to start working for them ! Not that the voters for PK or the Blackout 505 recognize compulsive cheater winner najib govt !

    bahahahaha declare assets to najib then his and the whole clowns to mahatheir that they remain dyfunctional ? Or make the declaration transparent to the People on line ? BN has lost with the working class people from the bottom to the middle income segment akin to obama becoming more irrelevant by the days.

    In the next US election, Dr. Ben Carson from a deprived childhood rising to the statue of a world renowned neurosurgeon who had performed 17 thousand surgeries in the States, including in Singapore which involved 200 doctors could be the potential US President.

    Penyokong muda dengan 4 - wheel drive berkepit ? ( mana boleh mampu kalau bukan " free loan " ) pagi- pagi berarak ke hulu hilir kibar bendera umno merah, tak payah kerja baahahhahhaah ?!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Tahniah Datuk.

    Even PAKATAN tak menang..I am so happy the people of Raub voted you..

    This time around Parlimen will never be the same.

    Just do your best and God bless Pakatan for our beloved country and people.

    doc

    ReplyDelete
  30. Beriboo-riboo tahneeyah Dato Sak! Anyway, give them a black eye and hope that in another 5 years, you will be a minister of rural development when Pakatan takes over Putrajaya......

    ReplyDelete
  31. its not so much a lively debate we gonna have in Parliament but a shouting match over disorder and lawlessness. Is this parliamentary democracy at work?

    ReplyDelete