A shouting match erupted in Dewan Rakyat earlier today (May 22) when Hulu Langat MP Mohd Sany Hamzan had interrupted Tumpat MP Datuk Mumtaz Md Nawi’s debate on the Printing of Quranic Texts (Amendment) Bill 2023 to inquire about a statement issued by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.
When Mumtaz refused to give him the floor to voice his query, Sany, who is also Amanah mobilisation chief, could be heard shouting over his muted microphone despite multiple orders by Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor for him to sit down and heed the Speaker’s orders to be quiet.
This has prompted Ramli to issue a stern warning to politicians on both sides of the divide on decorum in the August house.
“YB (Sany), sit down and I will deal with this matter. I have to remind you that the floor belongs to Tumpat (Mumtaz); you can only speak if she makes way for it.
“The other MPs, please be quiet. Don’t act this way. We must have manners; we are not children,” he said, to which several other MPs could be heard urging for Sany to take his place and cease his verbal tirade.
Appearing to get more riled up by the minute, Sany went on to claim that Pendang MP Datuk Awang Hashim had called him “gila” (crazy) during the debacle, prompting him to cite Standing Order 36(6), which stipulates that no member shall impute improper motives to any other member.
“The other side (opposition) really has no manners…this is the problem. Someone should teach them some manners,” Sany said in requesting for Ramli to order Awang to retract his comments.
Even after Ramli had ordered Awang to take back his words, a dissatisfied Sany had berated the PAS lawmaker for not using his microphone when uttering his apology.
“Use the microphone [when you apologise]! We want the people to hear [your apology]!” Sany could be heard yelling, which later prompted another round of uproar from the opposition bloc.
An exasperated Ramli went on to chide the MPs, saying, “We are adults. Our children are watching us from our homes, and therefore we should have some manners [during Dewan Rakyat proceedings].”
Earlier today, Ramli’s fellow deputy speaker Alice Lau dealt with a similar situation after several opposition lawmakers jumped to the defence of Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
This is after Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng had brought up how Malaysia’s position in the Fitch Ratings had dropped when the nation was helmed by Muhyiddin as prime minister.
Lim, who is also DAP national chairman, said this as part of his additional question to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the question-and-answer session in Parliament.
Appearing to take offence to Lim’s statement, Pasir Salak MP Jamaludin Yahya had then stood up and cited Standing Order 36(5), which states that no MP shall refer to another lawmaker by name. – May 22, 2023
Main pic credit: Facebook/Sany Hamzan
