KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Awang Hashim (Pendang-PN) has been ejected and barred from participating in parliamentary sittings for three days, effective from today, due to his “anti-Islam” remarks directed at RSN Rayer (Jelutong-PH).
Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Dr Ramli Mohd Nor ordered Awang to leave today’s sitting after he refused to retract his remarks despite being instructed to do so.
Awang initially made these remarks against Rayer after the Jelutong MP suggested that PAS lawmakers should ‘behave’ themselves appropriately while in Parliament.
“He (Rayer) had mentioned my name earlier in relation to ‘enam jahanam’ and also linked it to Muslims. He is anti-Islam.
“I am sorry, but I stand by my principles. I will not retract my statement,” he said before being ejected from Parliament.
Earlier, Rayer interjected just before the Dewan Rakyat was about to debate the third reading of the Evidence Act 1950 amendment.
Rayer invoked Order 36(4), (6), and (12) during last Thursday’s session, where the opposition bloc scrutinised Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul for his decision not to dismiss former Bersatu MPs who had pledged allegiance to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He also pointed out that the opposition, particularly Awang, had employed unnecessary and harsh language in referring to the six former Bersatu MPs as “enam jahanam”.
“I still remember the Pendang MP referring to six MPs who had pledged their support to the Prime Minister and calling them ‘enam jahanam’ (the six damned).
“At that time, I reprimanded him because he is a representative of the PAS party and a Muslim. It is not proper for him to call the six MPs such names, especially when he represents the Pendang constituency and ran in the last general election under PAS’s ticket,” he said.
Last week, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Pagoh-PN) accused Johari of “tarnishing” the Federal Constitution by not vacating the seats of the six lawmakers expelled by the party.
Muhyiddin’s claims followed Johari’s letters on July 9, explaining his decision to allow the now-independent MPs to retain their seats.
Bersatu had issued a notice of seat vacancies on June 20 after the six lawmakers declared support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The lawmakers are Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), and Datuk Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tg Karang).
Perikatan Nasional (PN) lawmakers donned white armbands today during Dewan Rakyat sittings as a protest against Johari’s decision. – July 15, 2024