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YOURSAY | ‘His decision to remove Ramkarpal from the House shows firmness and impartiality.’

'Gangster' drama - Ramkarpal gets new speaker's boot, Bung ducks

VGV: The action taken by the Dewan Rakyat speaker to "boot out" Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh from the House was indeed a correct one.

This would set a precedent in future so that no other lawmaker would be using unparliamentary words in the August House. The speaker knows such "derogatory words" were fondly used by the BN opposition.

This action is a reminder to all to speak properly in Parliament. If the speaker doesn't draw a line now, then it would turn out be like the Taiwanese Parliament.

This is a good sign from the speaker to show that he means business. At least we can see less commotion in future.

People Power: Bravo to Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof for being firm and impartial in carrying out his duty.

A new Malaysia requires all MPs to have a change of mindset when entering Parliament with respect to the speaker and House rules. We want to see law and order in place.

Anonymous 278451459939581: Ramkarpal, I am disappointed that you are still behaving like the opposition and disrupting the House.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said many times to forget the past and move forward. The country will be stuck if the past is dragged into the present all the time.

Former Jelutong MP Karpal Singh was a great parliamentarian and Malaysian and always stuck to his principles - all Malaysians have a deep respect for him but it is time to move forward.

Anonymous_64999b01: Ramkarpal was emotional and memories of his father being harassed and jostled in his wheelchair definitely didn't help the situation. When asked to apologise, he should have done the correct thing and not stooped to the opposition’s level of calling names.

We are aiming to attain a mature and disciplined Parliament, so let's get on with it. We know the game plan of the opposition is simply to be bad boys and cause as much ruckus and havoc whenever possible. Don't play to their tune, please.

P Dev Anand Pillai: Ramkarpal has made a point. If the situation was reversed, he would have been sent out anyway because he was with the opposition then, but now, when in the government, the speaker ought to exercise some discretion and correct the situation because the Umno Youth were acting like gangsters then against wheelchair-bound senior parliamentarian Karpal Singh.

It is not an issue of arguing for one's late father, it is principles which we are talking about here. The opposition could have defused the whole situation by just doing the positive thing, which is to apologise for its past behaviour, and the whole matter would have been neutralised.

Rs Js: Parliamentary time has been wasted on trivialities and mundane remarks.

Quite apart from Question Time, where oral replies are necessary from ministers, parliamentarians should get cracking on legislative changes on archaic and anachronistic laws and get on with their principal role. Personal attacks and lengthy tirades do not serve the electorate well.

I agree to a certain extent though that security matters just outside the precincts of the House are important and the ruling party could frame an appropriate motion if the standing orders are silent on that issue. But please move on.

Kleeo: While Ramkarpal's emotional reaction was understandable given its relation to his late father, it is unbecoming of a member of Parliament.

We just need to ask ourselves what good came of the one-hour ruckus and did it help solve any of the rakyat's problems? Nothing.

We need our members of Parliament to put aside their childish behaviour and start acting like mature and professional MPs.

Lord Denning: Ramkarpal is still acting like DAP is in the opposition. Getting kicked out over such a trivial issue is no laughing matter.

He should have asked the speaker what kind of protection he is going to give MPs in the House so that “samseng” (gangsters) don’t enter Parliament and cause a ruckus and try to assault MPs as was done in the previous parliamentary sessions.

Crikey! Debate kicks off with an hour ruckus after 'samseng' jibes

FlabberPro: It is quite a shame that these MPs do not quite respect their position as "Yang Berhormat". None of these shouting matches qualifies as “hormat” (respect) in any way.

What is so respectful about the way they behaved in one of the most prestigious halls in the country? 

It's really quite a shame.

I hope the MPs will watch themselves and behave better - for the sake of the nation and their position.

I wonder?: Ramkarpal was only referring to an old case in which several Umno Youth members acted like gangsters. He didn't accuse any present MP of being a gangster, thus he didn't breach the code.

The deputy speaker (Mohd Rashid Hasnon) is rather too green and inexperienced. He failed to see the difference and fell into the opposition’s trap.

He should have switched off the mic of those misbehaved opposition parliamentarians to return the order. 

Falcon: For those of us in Parliament today, the issue could have been resolved by a withdrawal of an unparliamentary term by Ramkarpal. He refused to and pandemonium erupted.

With an inexperienced deputy speaker, and experienced and first-time parliamentarians, it was a shameful scene. It was more than an hour of screaming and shouting with no end, that was only saved by the lunch break.

I wanted to ask Ramkarpal why he didn't just withdraw that statement out of respect for the chair during the break.


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