8 theSun | THURSDAY DECEMBER 4 2008

news without borders

Lim to challenge Ronald’s

ruling on Jamaluddin
IPOH Timur MP Lim Kit Siang will
move a motion under Standing
Order 43 to challenge and review
a ruling by Deputy Speaker Datuk
Ronald Kiandee who he said
condoned the actions of Datuk
Jamaluddin Jarjis (BN-Rompin)
in misleading the house with
false claims.
Lim said Jamaluddin sabo-
taged his speech during the 2009
Budget debate on the Culture,
Arts and Heritage Ministry on
Monday and misled the house by
claiming that he (Lim) had said
Malays treated the Chinese like
slaves.
“Jamaluddin repeated the
false allegations almost 10 times
in different variations and tried
to paint me as a racist and anti-
Malay, when he was the one who
was demonstrating the worst
communal colours,” he said.
“He even challenged me to
apologise and withdraw the
allegation when the matter was
verified in the Hansard the next
day, but the Hansard proved that
Jamaluddin was telling a big lie.
“If a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MP
had done to a Barisan Nasional
minister what Jamaluddin did to
me, that PR MP would have been
stopped within seconds and
suspended from the House, let
alone be allowed to repeat the
lie 10 times, or referred to the
Committee of Privileges for more
serious disciplinary action to be
meted out to him,” Lim said.
“It is most pertinent that when
I repeatedly asked in the House
on Monday whether Umno MPs
would support the concept of
Ketuanan rakyat Malaysia, there
was total silence and strenuous
evasion, with Jamaluddin trying
to divert attention from the issue
by lying that I had accused the
Malays of treating the Chinese
as slaves in raising the Ketuanan
Melayu issue.
“It is sad that they are not pre-
pared to become fully Malaysian
leaders.”
Lim also questioned Inspec-
tor-General of Police Tan Sri Musa
Hassan’s statement attributing
the country’s worsening position
in the crime index to a misper-
ception by Malaysians, tourists
and investors.
Lim said the number of homi-
cides per 100,000 of the popula-
tion in Japan is 1.09, Hongkong
0.26, and Malaysia 2.12; while the
number of rapes per 100,000 of
the population in Japan is 1.62,
Hongkong 1.54, and Malaysia
11.47. There are 4.78 robberies
per 100,000 of the population
in Japan, Hongkong 17.56 and
Malaysia 90.49.
Lim called on BN and PR
MPs to take a common stand
in rejecting Musa’s “ridiculous”
reasoning, and demand full
police accountability and trans-
parency.
‘TV channel dedicated to
Parliament may not be popular’
A TV channel “Their MPs ended up not seriously discussing
At the Dewan Rakyat dedicated to
political issues and
a particular issue in relation to a certain policy or
bill in the interest of the country or government.
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
parliamentary, senate Instead, many used the airtime to play to the
and state gallery by speaking on matters which
assembly Based appealed only to their constituents,”
proceedings may not be popular with on data Ahmad said, adding that not all
viewers. developed countries have TV channels
Information Minister Datuk Ahmad
provided by dedicated to Parliament.
Shabery Cheek said the current live AGB Nielsen Earlier, he told Razali that
telecast of parliamentary proceedings Media Research, according to an SMS survey conducted
between April
over RTM1 may have received a in May through the Selamat Pagi
favourable response and high ratings and May, the Malaysia programme, 93% of viewers
Thai as it runs for only 30 minutes. live telecast agreed that the live telecast of
protesters “In the United States, there is a was watched by parliamentary proceedings should
lift airport special channel to broadcast debates some 230,000 continue.
or events in the Congress or Senate. “Based on data provided by AGB
siege When the Congress or Senate are not
to 250,000 Nielsen Media Research, between
pg 10 viewers.”
in session, the channel discusses only April and May, the live telecast was
political matters. – Datuk Ahmad watched by some 230,000 to 250,000
“However, from experience, Shabery Cheek viewers.”
this station – also known as the US Ahmad also said the live telecast
political TV channel – is not popular was estimated to cost RM2.3 million
as it is shown throughout the day from morning a year, but that its actual cost depended on the
till evening,” he told Datuk Razali Ibrahim number of days on which assemblies were held.
(BN-Muar). The government was looking at ways to cut its
Therefore, Ahmad said, although Razali’s spending, he added.
suggestion of a dedicated channel is good, the To another question from Liew Chin Tong
government is still studying its positive and (DAP-Bukit Bendera), Ahmad said the ministry
negative impacts. was willing to build the required infrastructure
In Brazil for example, he said, a special should Parliament decide to leave it to Radio
Parliament and Congress channel had resulted in Televisyen Malaysia to disseminate information
more negative consequences. from the House to the public.

briefs that such vulgar words should continue to be

Minute’s silence for
Vijayaratnam and Razali
MEMBERS of the Senate observed a minute
of silence for Gerakan vice-president Datuk Dr
S. Vijayaratnam and Deputy Education Minister
Datuk Razali Ismail who died recently.
Senate deputy president Datuk Wong Foon
Meng asked the members to join him in doing
so after extending condolences to the two
families.
Vijayaratnam, 58, died on Nov 3 after a fall
from the third floor of the Vijaya Mahal building
in Seremban, where his clinic was located.
Razali, 59, died on Friday after collapsing
while playing badminton at the Aminuddin Baki
Institute in Genting Highlands. – Bernama
Two senators reappointed
TWO senators were reappointed for an-
other term and took their oaths of office
before Senate President Tan Sri Dr Abdul
Hamid Pawanteh.
They are Wanita Umno executive com-
mittee member Wan Hazani Wan Mohd
Nor, and the principal political secretary
to the Sarawak chief minister, Datuk Idris
Buang.
Wan Hazani, 57, is also the Kelantan
Wanita Umno head. Idris, 54, holds a Bach-
elor of Arts in law from the Buckingham
University. – Bernama
Stop using vulgarity in
Dewan: Deputy minister
THE Women, Family and Community Develop-
ment Ministry wants a stop to the use of words
with sexual connotation in the Dewan Rakyat,
its deputy minister, Noriah Kasnon, said.
She said she did not react to calls for
disciplinary action being taken against Datuk
Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak)
for making suggestive remarks last week be-
cause the matter had been decided by Deputy
Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee.
“As much as you feel sad and frustrated over
it, the minister and I, who have been fighting to
uphold the dignity of women, also do not agree
used in this House. The kindest man is one who
loves and respects women,” Noriah said when
winding up the debate on the ministry at the
committee stage.
6,901 police personnel
at Bukit Aman
ONLY 6,901 or 6.5% of a total of 36,235
police personnel are placed under the
jurisdiction of Bukit Aman, Deputy Home
Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said, add-
ing that the rest of the force operate under
nine units around the country.
He said it was not true that one-third of
the police force are placed at Bukit Aman as
claimed by Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) in
his question.
Chor said the government was aware of
the need for more police personnel and had
started a re-branding process to increase
their number to 150,000 by 2011.
He also told Datuk Abdul Ghapur
Salleh (BN-Kalabakan) the exercise had
begun four years ago, with an emphasis on
allowing personnel to return to their core
function of crime prevention by having a
larger number of civilian staff to perform
procurement and office work.
Probe into Eusoff-Lingam
NZ holiday complete
THE Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA)’s
investigation into former chief justice
Tun Eusoff Chin’s New Zealand vacation
with lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam has been
completed and a report submitted for the
scrutiny of the Attorney-General’s Cham-
bers.
In a written reply, Minister in the Prime
Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz
told Wee Choo Keong (PKR-Wangsa Maju)
the ACA had also completed its probe on
the appointment of judges, the results of
which are being examined by the ACA’s
senior federal lawyer.
Wee had inquired about the latest
developments in recommendations made
by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into
the V.K. Lingam video tape which was pre-
sented to the King on May 9.