Commotion continues over 'DG takut mati' statement, Kepong MP suspended five days

KUALA LUMPUR: Another commotion broke out in the Dewan Rakyat when the controversial statement on Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was raised again today.

The war of words between the opposition MPs and Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun ended with Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng being showed the exit and suspended for five days from attending the sitting.

Today’s episode began when Sim Tze Tzin (PH-Bayan Baru) asked the Speaker to make a ruling to have Datuk Tiong King Sing (GPS-Bintulu) to withdraw and apologise for his statement that said “(Health) DG takut mati (is afraid of dying)”, which caused a commotion yesterday.

Tiong had questioned why the Health DG did not go out into the field to see for himself the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, instead only holding daily press conferences via live telecast.

Sim’s request was seconded by Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) who referred to Standing Order 99 to have the ruling made by Deputy Speaker Datuk Azalina Othman Said yesterday to be reviewed to have the Bintulu MP to withdraw the statement deemed insulting to Dr Noor Hisham.

Admitting that the words used by Tiong were quite harsh, Azhar, however, stressed that when a ruling was made, it was final as stated in Standing Order 43 and that he had no power to revisit the ruling.

At this point, Lip Eng suddenly shouted that it was a stupid ruling, prompting Azhar to question how he could make such a remark, but Lip Eng continued making provocations by accusing Azhar of conspiring with Tiong and refused to withdraw the statement.

The war of words between the two continued to persist which forced Azhar to ask Lip Eng to leave the Dewan Rakyat sitting, which the latter ignored.

Azhar then issued a two-day suspension order to Lip Eng, before extending it to five days, and even called the auxiliary policemen to escort the MP out.

Lip Eng finally complied with the order and left.

Azhar then explained that if a ruling were to be revisited, a substantive motion must be moved.

-- BERNAMA