‘It is impossible to practice parliamentary politics without having patience, decency, politeness and courtesy.’
— Khaleda Zia, former Bangladesh PM
What a timely reminder from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar indeed!
To those of us following parliamentary sittings regularly, the king’s message to our Members of Parliament, particularly those with a penchant for hurling abuses, involved in shouting matches and disrespecting the rules of the august house, is only too familiar.
In his address when opening the new session of Parliament on Monday, Sultan Ibrahim reminded MPs that Parliament is an honourable chamber for debating matters of public interest.
He emphasised that it is not a place for shouting matches, hurling insults, or spreading slander.
“MPs must serve as a bulwark of national unity, not as agents of division among the people. Therefore, stop politicising every issue and refrain from prioritising only your party or group,” His Majesty said.
Sultan Ibrahim should know what he is talking about. Exactly a year ago, in his first Royal Address after becoming the Agong, His Majesty highlighted previous parliamentary sessions where certain MPs had used racist, sexist, or derogatory language, sometimes even directed at the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
He expressed his disapproval then of such behaviour and endorsed the Speaker’s authority to take stern action against misbehaving MPs, including suspensions of up to 14 days.
Has the situation improved a year later? Even if a news report has suggested that there has been an improvement, I must state that I do not think so.
To me, even a single incident of unruly behaviour and using unparliamentary language in the house is bad enough. That is unacceptable; we expect a higher standard from our legislators.
There were a few incidents worth bringing up again with the hope, if not anything else, that these MPs should feel ashamed of themselves. Sadly, some MPs never learn.
During a parliamentary session in February last year, Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan (PN-Tasek Gelugor) made unsubstantiated allegations against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, accusing him of abuse of power.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul deemed these claims malicious and ordered Wan Saiful to retract his statement. Following a heated exchange, Wan Saiful complied. The Speaker emphasised that such baseless accusations without evidence were unacceptable and warned MPs of potential six-month suspensions for similar misconduct.
In July last year, Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal was suspended for six months after citing an “anonymous letter” containing unverified allegations against civil servants under the Prime Minister’s Department.
Speaker Johari Abdul later defended his decision in the October session, during which Wan Fayhsal was also barred from sitting in the gallery.
The following month, another opposition MP was ordered to leave the house after a heated verbal exchange erupted over using Chinese characters on signage.
Deputy Speaker Alice Lau ejected Pendang MP Awang Hashim after he persisted in a verbal clash with Chong Zhemin (Harapan-Kampar).
Awang was again suspended for 10 days in December after failing to apologise for remarks insulting the Speaker in a TikTok video, despite repeated requests, including through an official letter.
I was glad to hear in August 2023 the proposal from Speaker Johari Abdul to increase fines for MPs who use uncouth language during sessions.
The proposal, as reported by The Star newspaper, suggested raising the maximum fine from RM1,000 to RM10,000, accompanied by potential suspensions. This move aimed to uphold the dignity of parliamentary proceedings and deter MPs from making racist, sexist or derogatory remarks.
These incidents underscore the Speaker’s commitment to maintaining decorum within Parliament and ensuring that MPs adhere to the standards of conduct expected in the legislative assembly.
In his Royal Address on Monday, the king also highlighted the need for responsible governance, expressing his intention to closely monitor government spending to ensure fiscal responsibility.
He called upon the government to implement reforms aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s economic competitiveness and to provide attractive incentives to stimulate investment.
Additionally, His Majesty reminded MPs of their collective responsibility to uphold the Federal Constitution and to respect the nation’s diversity, urging them to avoid inciting divisions based on race, religion or royalty.
Let us hope that all the MPs will take note of the Agong’s message that they must act in the interest of all Malaysians, rather than focusing solely on political gains.
MPs should legislate responsibly, ensuring policies benefit the people rather than serving short-term political objectives.
They also must work together, regardless of party differences, to ensure Malaysia remains stable and prosperous.
Essentially, the King reminded MPs that they serve the people and must uphold their duties with integrity, accountability, and a commitment to national unity.
Finally, most important of all, I hope that all our politicians will take heed of His Majesty’s warning against inciting divisions based on race, religion, or royalty (3R issues). That is a clear call for MPs to promote harmony and avoid rhetoric or actions that could deepen societal divides.
There has been too much of such 3R polemics in the country of late and I hope Sultan Ibrahim’s earnest call to politicians on this issue will not fall on deaf ears.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
