KUALA LUMPUR: A shouting match erupted in the Dewan Rakyat after Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim accused a Pakatan Harapan MP of supporting Israel.
"I have filed a number of (motions). Every 10 minutes a child is killed in Palestine and the death toll of Palestinians has exceeded 8,000. I ask Parliament to make its position known on this issue (Israel-Palestine) conflict and not just let one person to air their views, for example Tebrau (Jimmy Puah) who made his stance of supporting Israel known. Parliament must make its stance known on this genocide,” Shahidan (PN-Arau) said while asking the Dewan Rakyat to discuss the matter.
When Puah tried to interject, Shahidan then told him to “shut up.”
Puah then said the "shut up" remark was unparliamentary and should not be uttered by a senior MP like Shahidan.
“Secondly he said I support Israel. That is slander. I hope Arau will retract that statement,” said Puah.
Deputy Speaker Alice Lau who was presiding over the session then asked if Shahidan had any proof of Puah being an Israel supporter.
Shahidan, however, did not elaborate on his accusation, simply claiming that the matter has gone viral.
Puah then defended himself saying that he was in solidarity with Palestine.
“I have asked the Home Minister whether the requirements for the peaceful solidarity assembly could be relaxed where more solidarity assemblies could be held without the five-day notice. There is a record as I had asked this in the Dewan Rakyat,” he said.
Shahidan then went on to reiterate that Parliament has not made its stance on the conflict known.
Lau then demanded for Shahidan to retract his “slanderous” accusations against Puah.
Shahidan then said he would retract his statement if Puah admits that he does not support Israel.
This led to a shouting match with several Pakatan MP’s demanding Shahidan to retract his statement.
Wong Shu Qi(PH-Kluang) was heard asking if there if this was how PAS MPs behaved.
“Is this how PAS MPs behave, where they just cast accusations?,” she asked.
Despite repeated calls for him to retract the statement, Shahidan did not do so and the situation was defused with the House proceeding with its order of business.
