Ketereh MP takes on Kit Siang
Malaysiakini.com
Nov 29, 2006
Beh Lih Yi

A backbencher has accused Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang of misleading the Dewan Rakyat over a remark that majority of taxpayers are Chinese Malaysians. 

An emotional Mohd Alwi Che Ahmad (BN-Ketereh) claimed that the statement made during yesterday’s debate was “a lie, seditious and wild allegation”.

It began when Kit Siang stood after the Question session and cited Standing Order 26 (1)(p) in an attempt to refer Deputy Education Minister Noh Omar to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee for allegedly misleading the House.

He claimed Noh (photo) had been untruthful about the special class for smart students while winding-up on matters debated in relation to his ministry yesterday. 

Kit Siang also said it was not the first time that Noh had misled the House, citing an instance in September when the latter said the government would not build any new Chinese and Tamil primary schools.

Noh’s ‘revelation’ has since been denied by Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

Deputy Speaker Lim Si Cheng rejected Kit Siang’s motion as he was not chairing the sitting when Noh allegedly made the statement.

Si Cheng also said the Standing Order cited by Kit Siang could only be invoked at the time that Noh made his statement.

'More reason for NEP'

An infuriated Mohd Alwi stood and cited the same provision, arguing that Kit Siang had misled in saying “80 percent of the taxpayers in the country are Chinese Malaysians”.

Kit Siang had cited the figure when arguing that Chinese schools should be treated on equal basis with national schools.

“There is no such figure. He (Kit Siang) was lying, it shows bad intention, and is seditious and a wild allegation,” shouted Mohd Alwi, repeating himself about 10 times.

Not to be outdone, Kit Siang also shouted from across the floor, claiming that his data came from a statement by ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The microphones of both MPs were switched off. Si Cheng, trying to restore order, raised his voice and told both MPs to sit down.

“My decision is the same, I was not chairing the sitting then and I don’t know whether the figure was indeed quoted from Tun Mahathir. There is no need to raise the matter again,” he said.

In the Parliament lobby later, Mohd Alwi - who still appeared irritated - told reporters that he had checked with the Inland Revenue Board immediately after Kit Siang made the remark and found out there was no breakdown of taxpayers according to ethnicity.

“We only know whether they are company or individual taxpayers, so it is a fictitious figure,” he said, adding that the majority of the 1 million civil servants are Malays and thus there is no basis for the allegation.

“The claim is hurtful, what does it imply about the Malays? If the claim is true, then we have more reason to justify implementation of the New Economic Policy since Malays are still lagging (in economic development),” he argued.

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