DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today said it was shocking that Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Harun had threatened to call the police if Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng refused to leave the hall as ordered.
“Efforts to instruct police is something that should not happen because it challenges the superiority of Parliament,” he said.
He also said the ejection and five-day suspension of Lip Eng for calling a decision by deputy speaker Azalina Othman Said “stupid” was too harsh and could have been dealt with differently.
Lip Eng had criticised Azalina for not asking Tiong King Sing (GPS-Bintulu) to retract his remark about health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah being “afraid to die”.
Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) said Azhar’s actions had “tainted the august house” when the matter could have been resolved through other means.
“While Lip Eng has accepted the five-day suspension order, it is too harsh and should not have happened.
“We support his call to have the (deputy) speaker’s decision studied, as she had erred by allowing the Bintulu MP to defame and insult (Noor) Hisham in his efforts to curb and control the Covid-19 spread,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
Guan Eng said Jelutong MP RSN Rayer will table a motion to demand that Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing withdraw his remark.
“We hope the government will condemn Bintulu’s statement, as he is a special ambassador to China with a minister’s rank.
“Tiong’s remark cannot be accepted, as it insults the medical workers and frontliners. We condemn his remark,” he said.
Lip Eng, who was with Guan Eng, said his stand on Azalina remained the same, as Tiong’s remark was unacceptable and ought to be censured.
He said it was unbecoming of Tiong as a federal lawmaker to make such comments against the frontliners, pointing out how Malaysia was once regarded as one of the top five nations that successfully curbed the spread of the disease.
“As an MP, we should be giving words of encouragement to appreciate all the Health Ministry’s officials, and not like the Bintulu MP who belittled, insulted, and humiliated not only Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham but all the Health Ministry’s frontliners as well.
“That is why I am angered and cannot accept the decision by the deputy Speaker and Speaker concerning the comments made by Bintulu MP,” he said.
After Azhar had ordered Lip Eng to leave the floor, he threatened to call the police to escort him out if he refused to budge.
“You’re too much, you know. Keep quiet and get out or I’ll call the police,” Azhar said.