Pandikar Amin orders Baling MP to retract 'balik Tongsan' remark

Parliament erupted into an uproar today after a Barisan Nasional lawmaker an Opposition MP to balik Tongsan (go back to Tongsan).

The phrase was uttered by Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim when he was interrupted by Kota Kinabalu MP Jimmy Wong while he was posing a question to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Initially, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said he could not rule the word as 'unparliamentary' without understanding the context of the usage of the phrase.

"If you want me to rule this word as 'unparliamentary', then in the future I will be more strict when dealing with member of parliaments who uses words such as binatang (animal) to describe another member.

"Why is there a need to hurt the feelings of one another?" asked Pandikar Amin.

However, DAP parliamentary chief whip Anthony Loke said the phrase was derogatory and it was a sensitive issue especially among the Chinese.

"Tan Sri, I urged for you to ask Baling (Abdul Azeez) to retract this word. It is a sensitive matter, especially among the Chinese," said Loke.

At this juncture, Pandikar Amin ordered Abdul Azeez to retract his statement to which the latter obliged.

The winding up session of Budget 2016 starts today with Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, the first to give his winding up speech.