Mps Must Behave Or Face The Music Warns Speaker

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KUALA LUMPUR: Members of Parliament (MPs) who resort to personal attacks, baseless accusations or disruptive behaviour in the august House will have to face the Parliamentary Standing Orders, says Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
“As the highest institution of democracy in the country, Parliament must be a platform for healthy and constructive debates, not a battleground for conflicts that divide the people,” the Dewan Rakyat Speaker said when contacted yesterday.
“Therefore, the Standing Orders of the House will be enforced to maintain order during debates.
“This is to prevent any conduct that undermines the dignity of Parliament such as personal attacks, baseless accusations or disruptive behaviour.”
He reminded MPs to engage in issue-based discussions rather than political rhetoric.
Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah said the club takes proactive steps to ensure proper decorum among government MPs during debates.
This includes holding gatherings such as Breakfast with Ministers and Friends of Ministry for briefings so that MPs can gain deeper insights into policies aimed at ensuring that their debates are substantive and solution-driven.“These platforms also help MPs communicate policy matters to the rakyat effectively, reducing misinformation and unnecessary political sensationalism,” he said when contacted.
While the club plays a crucial role in maintaining checks and balances within the government, he said it must be done with decorum when raising concerns or criticising government initiatives.
“But as His Majesty (Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia) has rightly pointed out, these responsibilities must be carried out with decorum, guided by facts and national interests rather than mere political rhetoric,” Mohd Shahar added.Indera Mahkota MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah said Parliament should be a “hall of ideas” where articulation and contestation of laws and policies take place.To ensure decorum among Perikatan Nasional MPs, he said opposition parties would conduct pre-council meetings to prepare for debates before Dewan Rakyat begins.
“We conduct pre-council meetings and ask our MPs to do their homework and prepare for the debates. Our MPs are divided into portfolios such as economy, law and education. To a certain extent, we try to operate like a Shadow Cabinet,” he said when contacted.
Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim said there are civil and criminal defamation laws in place to act against MPs who cross the line during Parliament debates.
“If any MP utters defamatory words in Parliament and if not covered under Sedition Act, the other aggrieved MP or members of the public can challenge the MP to utter those words outside Parliament where there is no immunity,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Hassan agreed that Parliament should not be a place for slandering.
“The MP who commits such an offence should be brought to the Parliament Select Committee for Rights and Privileges,” he added.
Meanwhile, moderate advocate Anas Zubedy said leaders of the respective political parties should heed His Majesty’s advice and be a shining example of following proper decorum.
“It has to start from the top. There seems to be a need among the party leaders to one up each other and that is why things are politicised,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Besides refraining from the 3Rs (race, religion and royalty), he suggested having a list of things MPs should not politicise.
“There are certain matters that should be above politics and avoided (being politicised) by the MPs. These could include matters on education, helping the poor, nutritious food available for the masses and international issues such as Palestine,” he added.
Fellow moderate advocate Tawfik Ismail said MPs should have self-respect when debating in the Dewan Rakyat as every speech is recorded in the Hansard.
It will not be easy for the lawmakers to be completely neutral when debating as they represent their party’s philosophy, he noted.
However, he said the MPs should be more sensitive and not become too personal or narrow- minded, especially when discussing 3Rs issues. - Star

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