Wan Two Punch From Bersatu Mps After Dewan Speaker Lashes Out

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Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul’s recent reprimand against MPs who speak out on issues while failing to attend parliamentary proceedings has ruffled the feathers of opposition lawmakers dissatisfied with his conduct.
The Perikatan Nasional lawmakers took aim at Johari’s claim that certain MPs who consistently fail to show up in Parliament often make “lots of noise” outside by issuing statements that risk threatening the nation’s harmony and misleading the public.
Up in arms over Johari’s remarks, Bersatu’s Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said that while the opposition acknowledges Johari’s criticism, the latter should reflect on his own performance before admonishing others.
“We can accept (Johari’s) remarks and criticisms, but we also equally expect him to uphold justice as the speaker of the house.
“It is unfair for the speaker to reprimand backbenchers and opposition MPs when, in actual fact, he himself needs to raise the bar in terms of being professional and acting as a referee during Parliament proceedings,” Wan Fayhsal (above, right) told Malaysiakini.
Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari AbdulThe Bersatu supreme council member also urged Johari to be “fairer” in conducting affairs of the lower house’s sessions, asserting that opposition lawmakers are often provided with limited time to express their views and grievances.
Besides the speaker’s rejection of certain motions, Wan Fayhsal claimed that the lack of sufficient space and time for opposition MPs to defend their ground against accusations made by government representatives is another indicator of Johari’s supposed failure to be impartial.
‘The good, bad and ugly’
Meanwhile, commenting on Johari’s breakdown of three types of MPs in the Dewan Rakyat as “the good, the bad, and the ugly”, Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan said speakers for the august house could also be classified similarly.
Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan JanThe Bersatu supreme council member said good speakers protect the honour of the position while not siding with any parties, causing them to be respected by friends and foes.
He said that bad speakers, on the other hand, do not realise that the speaker’s post is non-partisan in nature and fail to ensure fairness in chairing parliamentary proceedings.
“The worst (speakers) act so self-righteous that they end up believing their own show, not realising that when they speak, people aren’t actually respecting them… every time they speak, they only tarnish the Parliament’s image.
“This type of speaker doesn’t realise that some people feel there’s no point in speaking up or giving their views when the speaker behaves like this,” Wan Saiful added in a tongue-in-cheek Facebook post today.
Johari reportedly said that good MPs are those who suggest solid and practical ideas in the Dewan Rakyat, while the bad ones are those who just “complain and object”.
The “ugly” MPs, he said, are those who don’t come to Parliament, but depict themselves as leaders. - Mkini

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