Pakatan MPs put Khairy in his place
Malaysiakini.com
May 8, 2008 
Beh Lih Yi 

Debutant backbencher Khairy Jamaluddin's (BN-Rembau) attempts to take on the Pakatan Rakyat parliamentarians in a debate today backfired, twice.

MCPX
azmin aliIt started when Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) was debating on the royal address and called for the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act, as well as abolishing the Official Secrets Act.

"The Freedom of Information Act has been introduced in 55 countries including Zimbabwe. The only one which is lagging behind in this is Malaysia and perhaps Mongolia," quipped Azmin.

At this juncture, Khairy interjected and asked whether the five state governments under Pakatan will declassify documents that are of public interest to ensure free flow of information.

And to this, a composed Azmin replied: "If I can propose this Act at the federal level, I am sure we can do it at the state levels as well."

"But I want to remind Rembau (Khairy), if we declassify the documents, there will be many things which will put the Umno leaders in trouble," the Gombak MP said to the amusement of the opposition MPs.

After the March 8 polls, there were complaints from the new Pakatan state governments, charging that some BN leaders had destroyed official documents to avoid the new government to trace the previous leadership's actions.

Azmin then moved on to a five-pronged strategy he proposed to fight corruption, which included the strengthening of the public service sector, to have a competitive private sector and to enhance political accountability.

"The government should prepare a white paper on the state of corruption which the country is facing including scandals like the purchase of Sukhoi and the submarines which involved the role of the Defence Minister (Najib Abdul Razak)," said the Gombak MP.

Exchange with the ‘cili padi'

And later in the afternoon, Khairy was dealt with the second blow when he tried to take on Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) in her debate.

fong poh kuanHe questioned Fong (photo) over Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim's recent announcement that all Pakatan's state assemblypersons in the state will be given an allocation of RM500,000.

"The allocation is only meant for Pakatan state assemblypersons. I want to know whether the same allocation will be given to the BN state assemblypersons on the principle of justice?" asked Khairy.

Fong, who has earned the reputation as the 'cili padi' in the house, retorted to the Rembau MP with her trademark fiery oratory skill.

"I agree that the allocation is not party's money but the rakyat's money. However, before the March 8 polls, the BN also gave the allocations to its state assemblypersons only," she said.

Khairy stood up and tried to rebut Fong at this point but the ‘cili padi' did not let up.

"Before you make any comment, please find a mirror to see yourself first. If you don't have a mirror, please find a bucket of water...

"For the past 50 years, we didn't get a single cent!" she said to the applause from the opposition MPs who were thumping the table.

khairy jamaluddinSince the beginning of this new Dewan Rakyat session, Khairy has almost become the central figure in all debates.

He is not just seen interjecting actively in fellow MPs' debates, his name has also been repeatedly dragged by others into their debates.

Meanwhile, in her debate, Fong also criticised the Election Commission's decision to cancel the use of the indelible ink in the run-up to the March 8 election and reiterated that the administration need to be held responsible.

She said this in light of a written reply which revealed the police has found no evidence into the complaints of attempts of sabotage by certain quarter by smuggling the ink from neighbouring Thailand.
The police said the complaints were made based on hearsay, the reply had added.

But Fong questioned in her debate why the police took so long to come to the conclusion that it was based on hearsay.

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