I have never felt so insulted and humiliated as an elected Member of Parliament for 33 years when the Dewan Rakyat became the subject of scorn and ridicule by the Dewan Negara yesterday because of two reasons:
- another disgraceful and disgusting episode of crude, vulgar, sexist and “male chauvinist” outbursts by Barisan Nasional MPs in the Dewan Rakyat last week, though directed at DAP MP for Batu Gajah Fong Po Kuan but had also shamed Parliament, Malaysian women — all mothers, sisters and daughters — and the nation; and
- the abject failure of Parliament to protect and redeem its honour and those of Malaysian women and the nation by taking instant action to punish the two BN MPs, Datuk Mohd Said Yusof (Jasin) and Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan) in order to spare Parliament, Malaysian women and our international reputation from shame and dishonour.
I had in the past described the Dewan Negara as a “rubbish-bin for political has-beens, rejects and deadwoods” and I am mightily mortified that the Dewan Rakyat has given the Dewan Negara the opportunity and justification to “rubbish” the elected chamber.
During question time in the Dewan Negara yesterday, Senator Datuk Yip Kum Fook wanted to know what measures were put in place to ensure women had a conducive working environment at the working place, adding: “Take, for example, the Dewan Rakyat, where prejudicial and sexist statements are being made at women MPs. Is this not setting a bad example?”
I feel awfully ashamed and I can speak for all the DAP MPs that we feel terribly humiliated, but have the BN MPs – who had thumped the table in glee and celebration when Po Kuan’s motion to refer the two sexist BN MPs to the Committee Privileges was rejected –any sense of shame? Continue reading “I never felt more mortified in my 33 years as MP – with “rubbish-bin” Senate “rubbishing” Dewan Rakyat”