Heated outcry after Bintulu MP's 'DG afraid to die' remark
PARLIAMENT | Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing's remarks that Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah "is afraid to die" for not coming down personally to Sabah to monitor the Covid-19 situation prompted an outcry in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Tiong made the remark during his debate on the Supply Bill 2021, prompting RSN Rayer (Harapan-Jelutong) to demand an apology for the alleged insult...
PARLIAMENT | Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing's remark that Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah "is afraid to die" for not coming down personally to Sabah to monitor the Covid-19 situation prompted an outcry in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Tiong made the remark during his debate on the Supply Bill 2021, prompting RSN Rayer (Harapan-Jelutong) to demand an apology for the alleged insult.
"DG (Noor Hisham) is afraid to die because he did not come down to Sabah, did not declare a lockdown in prison," said Tiong.
Rayer then stood up and demanded Tiong to withdraw his remark, but the latter refused, sparking a war of words among the MPs.
"I won't allow him to attack the DG. The DG is a frontliner!" said Rayer, who was eventually ejected from the Dewan Rakyat by Deputy Speaker Azalina Othman Said.
"Jelutong, please sit down. I want to make a ruling... I am warning you, if you do not sit down I will remove you," Azalina warned.
Rayer (photo) remained indignant, saying he was only defending Noor Hisham from the allegedly offensive remarks which were tantamount to an insult of all the frontliners on duty against Covid-19.
Azalina proceeded to give Tiong two options of whether to retract his remarks or to clarify it.
"This is the voice of the frontliners, so I do not want to retract it," said the ministerial-level prime minister's special envoy to China.
This prompted another brief outcry, with several MPs, including Ramkarpal Singh (Harapan-Bukit Gelugor), urging Azalina to make a ruling on whether Tiong's remarks are acceptable or otherwise.
However, Azalina insisted that her ruling was to offer Tiong the two options and the latter have decided not to withdraw his remark.
