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F-word to 'neraka' - top four bizarre Dewan Rakyat exchanges

ANALYSIS | The 14th Parliament – the first one not featuring BN on the government bench – got off to a generally smooth start with markedly better-behaved MPs fit for family-friendly viewership.

However, true to the Malaysian style of parliamentary proceedings, there were some awkward and bizarre moments which drew attention away from substantive debates.

Below is Malaysiakini's top four “colourful” Dewan Rakyat moments for the recently concluded sitting, in no particular order.

1) The ‘Sesat itu neraka’ incident

On Aug 13, Dewan Rakyat first-timer Che Abdullah Mat Nawi (PAS-Tumpat) interjected when Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng was delivering his winding-up speech for the debate on the Supply (Reallocation of Appropriated Expenditure) Bill 2018.

Lim was telling the House about the privatisation of the Pasir Gudang and Tanjung Pelepas ports when Che Abdullah decided to chime in on the minister’s earlier remarks, which claimed that the opposition bench was out to sabotage efforts to abolish GST.

Che Abdullah took issue with this on grounds that PAS was against both the GST and the incoming SST. Therefore, he argued, it was unfair for Lim to criticise PAS this way.

Lim clarified that he was referring to Umno, not PAS, while adding that Che Abdullah was “sesat” (lost).

This irked Che Abdullah, possibly owing to the Malay word "sesat" which can either mean losing one's way or point, or being a deviant from a religious point of view.

Lim: Enough, I think you have missed the target. It appears that you are sesat.

Che Abdullah: It's okay, answer the question.

Speaker: The minister does not give way.

Lim: Enough, enough, you're sesat. It seems that you are sesat. I would like to go back to...

Che Abdullah: Who is the minister referring to as sesat...

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