KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul says he was deeply hurt by the "anak bapa" (father's son) remark by a Perikatan Nasional MP as it implied that he gave preferential treatment to his son Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari’s (PH-Sungai Petani) motion for a debate.
“Today I am profoundly affected because this insinuation cuts me deep,” Johari said as soon as he began his shift in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Oct 12).
Earlier, Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) labelled the ruling by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor, allowing Taufiq’s motion on the issue of rice hoarding to be raised in the Special Chambers, as a “conflict of interest”.
This came about after Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) questioned why Taufiq’s motion, filed on Wednesday (Oct 11), went through while he was denied the right to have his motion debated despite filing it a day earlier.
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Awang was then heard saying "anak bapa" (father's son) in reference to Taufiq. After a brief commotion, Deputy Speaker Alice Lau told Awang to leave the chambers and return after lunch break.
RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) told Johari that the brief suspension was not enough, adding that Awang should be taught a lesson.
Johari then said that was not necessary, adding that it was the Deputy Speaker’s prerogative to make a ruling.
He urged lawmakers to “not fight” with the Speaker, adding that it would be pointless to do so.
“You will not score (any points) by fighting with the Speaker. I am trying to do my job to resolve the people’s problems. If you want to fight among yourselves, go ahead,” he said.
Johari also urged lawmakers not to drag the Speaker into their political games.
He also clarified that Shahidan’s motion was not related to the rice hoarding issue that Taufiq raised.
“I was not appointed by any parties. I was appointed under the Constitution. I was chosen by parliamentarians,” he said.
“If you don’t like me, file a motion (to remove me). That is all. But as long as I am here, there are rules,” he added.
