Azhar once chided Pandikar for turning blind eye to sexist remarks
Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun today allowed Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim to get away with seemingly racist and sexist remarks.
In doing so, Azhar (above, centre) might have just failed to live up to his own standards that he used to expect from a speaker.
Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun today allowed Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim to get away with seemingly racist and sexist remarks.
In doing so, Azhar (above, centre) might have just failed to live up to his own standards that he used to expect from a speaker.
In 2018, prior to the first sitting of the 14th Parliament, Azhar pondered aloud on the requirements for a speaker in his "The Art of the Matter" YouTube programme published by The Malaysian Insight.
During this programme, he described the speaker's position as one of utmost importance, noting that the oath-taking of a speaker will precede the MPs.
Towards the end of the show, Azhar criticised previous speakers for failing to conduct their duties properly.
In particular, Azhar referred to Pandikar Amin Mulia, without naming him.
Among Pandikar's infractions, said Azhar, was stopping the opposition from debating Marang MP Abdul Hadi Awang's bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, allowing cabinet ministers to get away with unsatisfactory answers and suspending MPs arbitrarily.
"Another failure that we saw was the speaker's utter failure to control unruly behaviour.
"To warn a certain MP from being unruly, (using) rude, crude language and even (making) sexist remarks.
"We are in 2018, last year was 2017 and (at the time) there were MPs who were a minister or deputy minister who used sexist remarks on a lady member of parliament. The speaker just let it go," he said.
Azhar ended on a closing note that the speaker must be someone of integrity, fiercely independent and well versed in Parliamentary affairs.
"So that we could have a discussion and a very civil but robust debate on matters of public importance," he added.
Earlier today, Batu Kawan MP P Kasthuriraani had attempted to get Azhar's attention on her complaint that the new selection committee did not contain any women.
Following this, Abdul Azeez could be heard saying: "Gelap (dark), (the speaker) can't see (you)".
This prompted pandemonium as the opposition demanded Azhar to make a ruling over the remark and demand Abdul Azeez's apology.
Abdul Azeez followed up by suggesting Kasthuriraani could remedy the situation by applying "bedak (powder), problem solved".
This only exacerbated matters as the opposition accused Abdul Azeez of adding a sexist twist.
Azhar ignored the opposition and proceeded to allow the motion to appoint the new selection committee to be voted on without any debates.
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