COMMENT | No order in the House
COMMENT | I am of an age and time when, in Form Six, one of the papers for History I had to swot for the HSC (Higher School Certificate) was British Constitutional History.
To this teen, it was a desiccated, dusty, musty subject. As required by the examiners and as taught, the subject required knowledge of significant legislation and their dates from the Magna Carta onwards, and the birth and evolution of the character and accretion of powers of the British Parliament.
As taught, the narrative of the social upheavals that made the English monarchs lose their absolute right to tax the people to pay for wars, to expend them as cannon-fodder, to send those who displeased them to the Tower of London, the rack and the executioner’s axe; that led to the birth of a House of Commons, the “commoners” finally having a say - all that was conveyed as dry facts, and didn’t capture my imagination or interest.
It was five decades ago. And it was a subject that I studied just for the sake of passing an exam, so understandably, I have forgotten everything. Nothing to do with me. I can’t even tell you when the Magna Carta was signed.
So my hat off to my unfathomable brain that suddenly dredged up a quote when I was studying the subject decades ago: ...
COMMENT | I am of an age and time when, in Form Six, one of the papers for History I had to swot for the HSC (Higher School Certificate) was British Constitutional History.
To this teen, it was a desiccated, dusty, musty subject. As required by the examiners and as taught, the subject required knowledge of significant legislation and their dates from the Magna Carta onwards, and the birth and evolution of the character and accretion of powers of the British Parliament.
As taught, the narrative of the social upheavals that made the English monarchs lose their absolute right to tax the people to pay for wars, to expend them as cannon-fodder, to send those who displeased them to the Tower of London, the rack and the executioner’s axe; that led to the birth of a House of Commons, the “commoners” finally having a say - all that was conveyed as dry facts, and didn’t capture my imagination or interest.
It was five decades ago. And it was a subject that I studied just for the sake of passing an exam, so understandably, I have forgotten everything. Nothing to do with me. I can’t even tell you when the Magna Carta was signed.
So my hat off to my unfathomable brain that suddenly dredged up a quote when I was studying the subject decades ago:
“I never saw so many shocking bad hats in my life,” said the Duke of Wellington on seeing the first reformed Parliament.
He could be speaking for many of us the past week when our Parliament met.
Raised voices, raised hackles; skin-colour slur; the eviction of an MP by the speaker of the House just minutes after he assumed the seat – what a sorry spectacle of "Yang Tak Berhormats". Role models for the young?
Order in the House. Right from the start, there was no order. Azhar Azizan Harun was sworn in as the new speaker of the House, without a vote being taken on it.
That ignited the ruckus.
He can’t take his seat without a vote. Yes, he can since there was no other candidate nominated.
But Standing Orders require a 14-day notice to be given to the opposition MPs to propose an alternative candidate.
Sorry, you didn’t nominate anyone. Nominations closed.
His maiden speech had an accompanying loud chorus of "Vote! Vote! Vote!"
In the context of the cacophonous chaos, part of Azhar’s text becomes surreal and hilarious, expressing his gratitude to one and all:
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the MPs for appointing me as the speaker, as well as the YBs who participated in this process but did not support me.
"Because by taking part in this process, you have nourished and spurred our practice of parliamentary democracy."
The second line cracks me up. Nourishing and spurring the practice of parliamentary democracy? Hahaha. The country saw the practice of Malaysian parliamentary democracy loud and clear, but I can’t imagine too many would have thought of it positively as “nourishing.”
This was followed by the eighth-minute ejection of Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad from the House for not following orders. Swift justice from the new sheriff in town.
Fiery start to the parliamentary session, but that was just the hors d’oeuvres or starter.
The unsavoury main course was served during the debate on the motion of select committee appointments when the Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim referred to another MP as "dark" and hidden from view.
When challenged on his offensive remark, he rebutted: "I'm dark and can't be seen too. YB is dark too. Dark is not an issue. I did not say this particular YB or that particular YB is dark. I'm dark too. Just use powder, problem solved."
His defence is that he concedes he is a pot calling the kettle black?
Azhar’s acceptance of Abdul Azeez’s apology and retraction of his remark without taking action fuels more vociferous protest.
Minister Takiyuddin Hassan then demonstrated how parliamentary business can be swiftly resolved by suggesting that since the MPs had no interest in debating the motion on the select committee appointments, it should immediately go for a vote.
Azhar thought it was an excellent idea and put the motion to a voice vote with the government bench saying "Agree" while the opposition bench continued their protest.
The sordid episode ended with Takiyuddin tabling another motion to adjourn the sitting for the day.
Azhar’s initial response was a risible hemming-and-hawing, getting into a verbal twist trying to avoid taking a stance.
“I think we are all against sexist remarks. We are all against sexist acts. Of course, we do not condone any sexist acts, but whether that remark was sexist or not was open to interpretation at that time.”
Obviously, Azhar found sitting on the fence an uncomfortable position because after a night of studying the Hansard, he said the reference was not open to interpretation.
Azhar said his first day on the job was a good, learning experience. One of the lessons must be that it was easy at the Election Commission compared to riding herd on MPs who differ on the order of things.
THOR KAH HOONG is a veteran journalist.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
