Yii wants speaker to act against Kapar MP's Menu Rahmah remarks

PARLIAMENT | Dr Kelvin Yii (Pakatan Harapan-Bandar Kuching) has called on the Dewan Rakyat speaker to take action against a lawmaker who made remarks in the House related to the Menu Rahmah initiative.

A motion to refer Dr Halimah Ali (Perikatan Nasional-Kapar) to the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges under Standing Order 36(12) has been submitted to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul for her allegedly misleading statement on Feb 14 that linked the government's initiative to serious health conditions.

Under Standing Orders 80(1), the six-member Committee of Privileges led by Johari will consider any such matters referred to them and report to the House.

If found in contempt, the MP referred will be punishable under the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952.

Yii in a statement said he had written to Johari and urged the speaker to approve the motion.

"In her debate of the king’s speech, she made a statement saying that '... the Menu Rahmah movement, I do not want the B40 group to be exposed to diseases like cancer, autoimmune diseases, or autism'," Yii said quoting Halimah's remarks as recorded in the Hansard.

"The statement is untrue and irresponsible because it is not based on facts and science and can also cause misunderstanding and stigma against the autistic and disabled community.

"Her statement gives a wrong impression to the public, further causing immense stigma and belief that autism is caused by poor care and determined by your level of income," he added.

Yii explained that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects an individual's social interaction, communication, and behaviour.

"ASD is a complex and lifelong condition, and while the exact causes of ASD are not yet fully understood, there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that poor diet or bad food causes autism," he said.

Yii argued that Halimah as a doctor should not be seen to promote non-evidence-based claims, and that the PAS lawmaker had various opportunities to retract or clarify her widely panned remarks.

"Even with public criticism including a rebuke from The Autism Inclusiveness Direct Action Group (Aida), she continues to mislead both the public and the House.

"She continues to deny it in several public statements including a statement in the House where she tried to mislead the House again by denying that such statement was ever uttered and asking the House to refer to the Hansard to prove that the statement was never spoken," he stressed.

The Menu Rahmah programme was introduced in January as an effort to tackle the rising cost of living.

Under the initiative, eateries and businesses would provide meals at RM5 and below.

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