I am increasingly embarrassed and frustrated by the behaviour of our so-called Yang Berhormats. I am saying this not only for MPS such as YB Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman or YB Datuk Bung Mokhtar, but also for those like YB Karpal Singh, YB Lim Kit Siang and all or any other MPs who resort to name calling in Parliament.
Don't these MPs know that they are elected and respected by the people, albeit their own constituencies. Each of them must have easily got more than 10,000 votes during the election. I wonder how each and every one of these voters feel knowing their MPs resort to name calling, shouting at each other and generally behaving like total idiots in Parliament.
Imagine the shock and disgust on the faces of those who visit the Parliament and sit in during these debates. And I can tell you many of these visitors are school children and University students.
I know that the media would definately highlight more on the name calling incidents rather than the other good things these individual MPs have done, but that is no excuse to behave poorly.
I hope the Chief Whip of both sides, Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat will do something and rein in these errant MPs. Discipline them, even if it means just internal party discipline. I know these people are the so-called big wigs in the party or the pointman in debates for their parties, but it does not mean you have to make such derogatory remarks.
I don't blame the party for this. Both sides of the fence have their errant MPs. Should we not vote for Pakatan Rakyat because of the behaviour of certain individuals, the same applies to Barisan Nasional. Punish and discipline the individuals. And let's try to have more well behaved sessions and MPS like YB Dato Razali Ibrahim, YB Dato Fuad Zakarshi, YB Dato Liow Tiong Lai, YB Azmin Ali and so on. I was told even YB Dato Mohd Aziz has improved a lot and not resorted to name calling.
I want quality debates and debates that will positively affect the rakyat. Do not trivialise Parliament sessions. And do not make our Parliament sessions like those in Taiwan that resulted in fist-fighting even.
Please respect our parliament.
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5 years ago
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7 comments:
that's right...guess this year's election, ppl are voting anyone else except BN...even someone who is just a blogger can be elected into parliament.
one of the main reason Malaysia is not moving forward are because of these YBs. No healthy debates, useless issues, even secondary school debate are more disciplined than our parliament. How will foreigners dare to invest in a country where their leaders behave like kids?
Regards,
CM
Hi Chai Ming, I would rather not vote these people in. This is because if we were to discuss about quality of debates, many of these YBs are not performing, even the bloggers or the video guy. Not all in BN are bad, and not all in PR are bad. Le'ts vote based on individual performance, because no party has been able to put quality candidates at all seats.
Dear Ikmal,
First of all, congratulations in starting a blog. Now you are one of many millions out there who want to give a piece of their mind on the ongoings in their community and their world.
Your take on the quality of parliamentary debate is respected but I must correct some misconceptions that you or your readers may have with regard to debates in the parliament.
I am sure most people judge the quality of debates based on the 30 minutes live TV telecast every morning where MPs from both sides of the aisle try to outdo each other in getting maximum media coverage. Thats fine with me but it must be told that parliament sits 6 hours a day (10am to 1pm and 230pm to 530pm) and at times like today extended to 11pm.
Although I agree with you that name callings and derogatory remarks have no place in the august hall, I must say that any debates, no matter how spirited and rowdy, are important and necessary part of a robust democracy provided of course they dont veered into seditious territory.
Even in UK, debates are sometimes as 'naughty' and provocative if not more. I remember watching debates in the House of Commons when David Cameron, leader of the opposition in British parliament making fun and mocking Prime Minister Gordon Brown's physical disability (Brown has a glass eye due to injury sustained in a rugby match), to the delights and cheers of the opposition Conservative Party's MPs. This has become quite common during the PM Question time in British Parliament!
Before anyone gets a wrong idea that I propogate such ideas, please remember that the seemingly childish behaviour of some MPs is certainly in the minority. Perhaps it takes less than 1% of the total debate time. Most times, debates are conducted with utmost decorum and civility. Infact, sometimes one wonders how MPs can stand the monotonous delivery of numbing statistics and points made in long and dry speeches by 222 MPs every day for a good half of the year.
Try talking to a random visitor in the public gallery and ask him about his experience watching the speeches, chances are he would tell you how surprised he was that it was basically eventless and boring!
Infact I would not be surprised if he was actually showing a hint of dissapointment that there were no clash of words, no name callings, no circus antics and rowdiness from the MPs that he could relate to his friends and families back home.
Having said that, I hope you will be an MP in the future. You have the quality and surely the qualifications to be one.
Cheers!
Rahman
On YB Dahalan's comment, i suppose the mentality of "penjajah" is still strong in our culture and coming from a highly ranked Exco Pemuda, is definitely dissapointing.
In other words, if "Mat Salleh terjun gaung, kita pun ikut terjun gaung".
The YBs must find ways to debate on serious issues inteligently and at the same time, "lively"..make it interesting without resorting to stupid and deragotary remarks. Of course, you can, instead of going around, wasting time and money just to secure your political position...unless you guys are more intersted in politicking like what Anwar is doing most of the times.
Dear aflaw,
I do not think you read my comments completely. Please do...
Cheers!
Rahman
Tq YB Dato for your response..let me pen my thots here..hope sdr Ikhmal does not mind.
I've been to Parliament so many times due to my close relationship with YB Chief..I have seen the YBs inside and outside the hall. They are a bunch of happy YBs who sometimes kid around amongs themselves regardless of the parties they represent.
On few occasions, i sat with the young opposition YBs and managed to listen to them and tried to collect their thots. Unfortunately, i never had a chance to sit with YBs from Pemuda UMNO and hardly seen you all around except for when your bossess were around.. but never mind that, because i know you guys are busy.
You mentioned that the ruckus in Parliament due to a minority. It could be true but it represents the total image of all YBs. There are ways to argue intelligently if the YBs are well versed on the particular topic..The YBs are only the representatives of your constituencies, so whenever you want to say something, you must bear in mind you are speaking for somebody and not yourself. So whenever, YB Tajuddin or YB Bung swear in the Parliament, they were uttering the words on behalf of their peoples.
So, it does not mean that when you become a YB or even some seasoned politicans, you possess the ability to debate skillfully especially when you are not equipped with sufficient knowledge on the topic.
I also would like to see the MP from Barisan to be agreeable with the opposition if they speak for good cause of the nation. The system of whip should be revamped in order for the YB to have more freedom to speak without being afraid. It will definitely make the session livelier. Dont be afraid to practise bypartisan approach, otherwise BN will be dead boring and lifeless. Just a thot. TQ and Good Luck
I welcome all discussions here and am happy for everyone to use this space to give your views.
Just one thing I would like to add - Not everything in BN is bad and not everything in PR is good.
As discerning voters and opinion makers, we should always be able to filter through and take the good against the bad. And I would like to caution against wholesale blaming of only one side. As there are many complaints for BN MPs, there are equally if not more failings on the PR side also.
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