Wednesday, July 1, 2009

I was admonished in parliament!

The Parliamentary Select Committee has proposed to fine 4 Umno Youth leaders RM1,000 each for obstructing Karpal Singh (DAP – Bukit Gelugor) entering the House because they had on Feb 26 stopped Karpal from entering the House. The committee also proposed to admonish 8 MPs for not responding after they were called up. They are Karpal, Fong Po Kuan (DAP – Batu Gajah), Lim Lip Eng (DAP – Segambut), N. Gobalakrish-nan (PKR – Padang Serai), Fong Kui Lun (DAP – Bukit Bintang), Lim Kit Siang (DAP – Ipoh Timur), Kamarud-din Jaafar (PAS – Tumpat) and R. Sivarasa (PKR – Subang). (Refer http://thestar.com.my/)
What does "admonish" mean? Merriam-Webster Online dictionary defines it as “to express warning or disapproval to, especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner”. Kit Siang, a 10-termed MP and Karpal, 7-termed still need to be kindly warned whereas the wrongdoers who obstructed a MP in his duty were given a fine of mere RM1,000 each.
Police has said the Umno Youths involved cannot be charged under Section 124 of the Penal Code for assaulting an MP with the intent to compel or restrain him from exercising his duties which provides for a maximum jail term of 7 years because police cannot interfere with Parliamentary business. Yet Perak assembly speaker, Sivakumar, was dragged out from the State’s Assembly Hall by the same police.
The Committee’s proposal has not only insulted the 8 MPs, it may send out a wrong message to the public that anyone who harasses a MP in Parliament whom he or she dislikes, will only face a fine of maximum RM1,000, no jail term. With the police's refusal to interfer, are we the MPs still safe in Parliament?

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