KUALA LUMPUR: After checking video recordings of Tuesday's (Oct 17) Parliament proceedings, Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor has ruled that there was no malicious intent in Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary’s (PN-Pengkalan Chepa) remarks against a DAP MP’s Quranic interpretation.
Ramli said Howard Lee (PH-Ipoh Timur) could not point out which phrase uttered by Ahmad Marzuk that can be construed as malicious in his speech.
“It is unfair for me to rule that there was malicious intent based on my own assumptions, without any explanation or specific phrases being pointed out by the MP that raised Standing Order 36(6).
“For an MP who wants to raise Standing Order 36(6) in future, it is compulsory for the MP to explain which phrase had malicious intent,” said Ramli in Parliament on Wednesday (Oct 18).
The Standing Order 36(6) states that no Member of Parliament (MP) shall impute improper motives of any other member.
Ramli said that based on checks on the video of Lee’s speech in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 17), elements of malicious intent do not exist.
“I interpreted that Ahmad Marzuk’s speech was not malicious,” he said, adding that the crux of the issue was already spreading in the media.
ALSO READ: Shouting match in Parliament over Howard Lee's Quranic interpretation
Several DAP MPs were seen dissatisfied with Ramli’s ruling, saying that it could set a new precedent in Parliament.
RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) claimed that Ahmad Marzuk had labelled several DAP MPs as “kafirs” and it could normalise such words being uttered in Parliament.
“Many Malaysians are upset with such remarks and I was disappointed with it too,” said Rayer.
Ramli then told Rayer to sit down and file a motion on the matter if he was dissatisfied.
“I just want the Deputy Speaker to be more firm so that such remarks will not be repeated in this House because it is a form of hate speech,” said Rayer.
“Everyone was watching and the video went viral. Is this the standard of PAS leaders?” questioned Rayer.
On Tuesday (Oct 18), a shouting match erupted in Parliament after Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN-Pengkalan Chepa) questioned Howard Lee (PH-Ipoh Timor) over his video of a Quranic interpretation that went viral last month.
Ramli, who was chairing the session, said he will make a ruling on the matter.
Last month, Lee posted a video on TikTok where he quoted a Quranic verse.
Lee’s remarks were met with backlash and he subsequently apologised for the video.
