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Wed, 30 Dec 2009
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 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS :: Local News |
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'Mob' scene at Parliament
by Giam Say Khoon
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Members of Parliament scuffle between them at Parliament today.
| KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 26, 2009): Wheelchair-bound DAP chairman Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) had a scare when 22 Selangor Umno Youth members surrounded him as he arrived for parliament proceedings at 2.45pm today.
The group demanded that he apologise for alleging that Umno Youth had threatened him by sending him live cartridges.
"My assistant was wheeling me from Parliament's block tower to the House when a group of people rushed up and started abusing me (verbally), threatening me and insisting that I apologise.
"I told them there was no question of apology and I told them to back off as I have my duty and no one should obstruct me. They became more menacing and reached a point of nearly hitting me.
"I called for the police but nobody came," he told reporters in parliament lobby.
Karpal, said N. Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai), Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) and Fong Kui Lun (DAP-Bukit Bintang) rushed to his aid after they were told that he was surrounded by Umno Youth members.
DAP chairman Karpal Singh giving a press conference at
the Parliamnet here today. | "They were pushed around and abused. This is something that should not happen in Parliament. We have no time for gangsters to come here and threaten MPs. I regret that the police did not carry out their duty just now.
"The commotion should have attracted the police officers on duty but no one came to help.
Although I am on a wheelchair, I will not be cowed or intimidated by anyone," he said, adding that something must be done urgently to prevent such gangsterism in Parliament.
"Where is the security? I want the Speaker (Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia) to take action as rhetoric in the House is not enough and I hope he will do the necessary after this," added Karpal.
Pandikar Amin advised Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be patient and have confidence in him when the matter was raised by the Opposition in the House right after the incident.
Giving the assurance that he will ensure the safety of Parliamentarians he said it does not require the police to chase away individuals who posed threats to MPs as he, the Speaker, had the right to order anyone to leave Parliament.
Anwar told reporters in Parliament lobby: "We (Pakatan Rakyat) regret and condemn such acts of intimidation of MPs. We told the Speaker that a mere assurance was not sufficient.
"We want immediate action to be taken, including the assurance from the police and the government to ensure the safety and freedom of MPs."
"I want to tell Barisan Nasional and Umno MPs not to make it (the commotion) a beginning with Karpal as it will spread to other people as well," he added.
Meanwhile, DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) said: what happened was shameful and outrageous.
"In the history of Malaysian parliament, it has never happened before in the past 51 years. It is a violation of the sanctity of Parliament."
Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club chairman (BNBBC) chairman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, who went to persuade the Umno Youth members to leave Parliament, also apologised to his colleagues who were involved in the commotion because no matter who is right or wrong, such a thing should not happen in Parliament.
"We should respect the law and should not provoke each other (during such incidents). We will investigate and talk to the Speaker on enhancing security to protect MPs," he added.
Karpal Singh's son, Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong), and Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Bukit Bendera) , who left the House to find out about the commotion outside, were also threatened and challenged by the Umno Youth members to a fight.
Both parties were separated by security officers.
The group only left the compound after all DAP MPs had left.
Earlier, Umno Youth vice-chief Khairy Jamaluddin held a press conference in Parliament lobby asking Karpal Singh to show proof within 24 hours on his allegation that the wing was responsible for the live bullets he received last week.
"We challenge him to produce the proof. If he fails to do so, we will call him a liar with no credibility. We also dare him to repeat the allegations outside Parliament," he added.
For more photos click here
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Updated: 07:14PM Thu, 26 Feb 2009
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