KUALA LUMPUR – Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul has reprimanded several lawmakers who were butting heads amid claims made by Mohd Sany Hamzan (Hulu Langat-PH) that Perikatan Nasional (PN) was a party that politicised religion for its benefit.
“We have Australian visitors, please,” Johari said, while motioning for the lawmakers to sit down.
He said this as the lower House saw the attendance of delegates from the Australian Parliament, led by federal member of Blair, Shayne Neumann.
Earlier, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (Arau-PN) invoked Standing Order 36(6) and 36(12) after claiming that Sany labelled PN “penunggang agama” (an exploiter of religion) and demanded a retraction.
Following Sany’s denial, Johari instructed those who heard Sany’s statement to file a complaint.
Subsequently, Sany cheekily said “victory was on our (government bloc) side”, before being admonished by Johari and interjected by other opposition MPs, including Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee (Beluran-PN) and Datuk Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail (Kubang Pasu-PN).
Kiandee claimed that Sany was unafraid to act as such as the speaker would often reject opposition’s motions citing Standing Order 36(12), while Rahman said an MP cannot speak without getting permission from the speaker.
“I want to close this case, whoever heard Sany mentioning (the aforementioned statement), file a motion,” Johari said in between several interjections. – November 21, 2023