Parliament snippets Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarians sought action to be taken against Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) for the ‘gesture’ he made earlier this week towards the opposition MPs.

Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) and Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) called for Bung Mokhtar to be referred to the Privileges Committee. They were turned down, however, by Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee.

bung mokhtar 090708 carut lewd gesture rude parliament Met later, Bung was unrepentant and said as he is often the subject of Pakatan MPs’ ‘points of order’, he was, therefore, unfazed by their latest attempt.

“It's up to them. I have no problem with the gesture,” he told reporters at Parliament lobby. He added that different MPs have their own “style” of expressing themselves and the gesture he made was part of his own style.

“Some (MPs) take their pens and click away. Some put their hand in their pocket (as they speak)... I did not mean anything. I was just angry,” he added.

Pakatan MBs, CMs not barred from RTM

Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the government’s radio and television network RTM does not have a policy barring menteris besar (MBs) or chief ministers (CM) from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat states from appearing on their programmes.

“I believe that based on this policy, RTM is prepared to invite all quarters, including leaders from the opposition,” Shabery told the House in response to a question from Ahmad Kassim (PKR-Kuala Kedah)

Asked which programmes would be reserved for Barisan Nasional and Pakatan MBs and CMs, Shabery said he would leave it to RTM to decide based on the news worthiness and appropriateness.

shabery chik “Even I myself, as information minister, has never been interviewed by RTM live,” said Shabery.

The minister also took a jab at PAS’ party organ Harakah for failing to send a representative to act as one of the interviewers on the panel for the televised debate between PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub and Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Abdul Samad.

The debate on June 10 between Salahuddin and Shahrir was on the issue of the oil price hike.

“In this matter, it is Harakah that was unprofessional. Not RTM,” said Shabery.

When asked about this, a Harakah journalist told Malaysiakini that the publication’s senior official slated to represent the party organ, Ahmad Lutfi Othman, had fallen sick on the day of the debate.

Minister's response riles up Sabah MPs

Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Joseph Entulu Belaun riled up Barisan MPs from Sabah today when - in response to questions about the lack of electricity supply in the state - he retorted that the ministry "does not print money."

To a question from Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan), Belaun had earlier said that the government was in the process of carrying out 91 projects to lay down gridlines in Sabah which would cost RM150 million.

For the parliamentary constituency of Kinabatangan alone, another project worth RM4.39 million was being carried out, Belaun added.

To supply electricity to the whole of Sabah, however, the government would have to spend RM1.23 billion, he said.

In response to Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan), however, who had said RM1.23 billion was "chicken feed" if the government was serious in helping the development of Sabah, Belaun said approval for such an allocation was not within the powers of his ministry.

"I am sure that your honourable from Kalabakan is aware that this ministry does not print money," he said Belaun.

Abdul Ghapur said if the government is considering the multi-billion ringgit Penang Second Bridge project, it should not be too troublesome to provide such a basic item as electricity for Sabah.

The matter died down after Belaun explained that it was for the Ministry of Finance to approve the RM1.23 billion allocation needed to provide electricity to the whole of Sabah.

RM1.6 billion for upgrades

PLUS Expressway Berhad has spent RM1.6 billion for service upgrades since 1995, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Answering Salahudin Ayub's (PAS-Kubang Kerian) oral question, Works Minister Mohd Zin Mohamed said that the government-linked company has made various upgrades including intelligent traffic system, tolls, rest and relax lay-bys and road-paving.

Mohd Zin added that PLUS has also allocated RM595 million for road and expressway upgrades in 2008 alone.

62 detained under ISA

Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said there are 62 detainees held under the Internal Security Act (ISA) as of June 30, 2008.

In a written reply to M Manogaran (DAP-Teluk Intan), the minister said the detainees were held for various offences.

He said 42 people have been detained for suspected militant activities, six people for document forgery and one was held for human trafficking.

There are also nine people who allegedly gathered information for foreign intelligence agencies and five from the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

He however did not reveal the detainees' background for 'security reasons'.