Barisan Nasional lawmakers staged a walkout from Dewan Rakyat after two of their MPs were booted out of the House by Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon.
Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Datuk Bung Moktar Radin were asked to leave the August hall after they refused to heed Mohd Rashid’s call not to interrupt proceedings.
“I see this as a continuous disruption from Pasir Salak and Kinabatangan, I urge the sergeant-at-arms to chase them out,” he ruled.
“The Deputy Speaker need not order me out as I am leaving the House myself,” Tajuddin said in defiance on Monday (Dec 10).
The incident happened when Datuk C Sivarraajh (BN-Cameron Highlands) walked into the House to take his seat as Chan Ming Kai (PH-Alor Setar) was about to begin debating on the Finance Bill 2018.
Bung Moktar stood up under Standing Order 36(6) asking Mohd Rashid to get RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) to retract his allegations and apologise to Sivarraajh.
“His (Rayer) malicious allegation had resulted in YB Sivarraajh being asked to leave the House and losing his qualification as an MP for two days.
“He must apologise for this,” he said.
A shouting match ensued between several Barisan and Pakatan Harapan lawmakers when Rayer refused to apologise.
Mohd Rashid told lawmakers that Speaker Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof had resolved the issue earlier in the day and his ruling was final.
However, Tajuddin and Bung Moktar refused to heed Mohd Rashid’s call not to disrupt the proceedings.
“The matter is not resolved until Rayer apologises as it involves an important issue and we seek justice,” Tajuddin said.
In Parliament lobby, senior Barisan lawmaker Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that they decided to stage the walkout in protest of Mohd Rashid ordering Tajuddin and Bung Moktar out.
He said that Rayer should apologise to Sivarraajh as it was his allegations last week that result in the latter being ruled “a stranger to the House”.
Earlier on Monday, Mohamad Ariff made a ruling that Sivarraajh was allowed to attend Dewan Rakyat proceedings until his appeal process against the recent Election Court’s decision to nullify his victory for the Cameron Highlands constituency is completed.
Last Wednesday (Dec 6), Mohamad Ariff ordered Sivarraajh to leave the Dewan after Rayer raised the matter.
Ariff walked back the decision earlier today, saying that Sivaraajh can continue to attend the sitting until his appeal against the court decision to vacate his Cameron Highlands seat is disposed of.
In return, Sivaraajh thanked the speaker “for knowing he had made a mistake.”
Several Harapan MPs jumped and protested at the remark, saying Ariff did not err in the first place.
Tajuddin and other BN MPs continued to insist that Rashid allow the motion put up by Bung after it was initially ignored.
“This is a matter of dignity and principle,” he said.
A verbal fight then broke out, with lawmakers calling each other “stupid” and “ill-mannered (kurang ajar).”