King cautions MPs: Behave, or be suspended

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has granted permission to the Dewan Rakyat speaker to suspend MPs who misbehave for up to 14 days.

Similarly, the Dewan Negara president can also do the same if the members of the upper house fail to observe decorum.

In his royal decree during the opening of Dewan Rakyat's new session this morning, His Majesty expressed displeasure over the past behaviour of MPs.

As legislators, he said it is ridiculous if the elected representatives themselves fail to respect rules and order.

“Mind your manners, be disciplined, be polite when speaking, and do not curse at others.

“Looking at how some MPs have behaved (in Parliament), I would be ashamed to go into this august house too,” he added.

‘Be cautious’

Earlier, Sultan Ibrahim also went off the cuff to remind MPs to keep their conduct in check.

“I am new here, it has been less than a month since I was appointed as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Thus, I will have to learn many things.

“(You will find) that my speech today is more ‘halus’ (subtle) compared to what I have said in my speeches in Johor.

“I am giving this chance so no one will get offended, but in the future, I hope you will be cautious,” he added.

In 2021, Sultan Ibrahim did not mince words when reprimanding members of the Johor state legislative assembly over their behaviour.

He had told them that the state assembly was not an enclosure for monkeys.

In 2022, Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah purchased a painting that depicted MPs as monkeys and frogs.

The work appears to be a derivative or inspired by a painting by English artist Banksy that portrayed the UK Parliament as a house of chimpanzees.

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