KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (Pasir Salak-BN) will know by tomorrow if any action will be taken against him for his recent indecent outburst in the lower House, when he supposedly spoke profanity at the opposition bench.
Pressed for action, Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon said the matter is currently being scrutinised.
“I have previously written to the speaker (Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun), and he has asked that I handle the issue, and it is in the process.
“I have arranged to meet with several witnesses and I will deliberate on the matter before giving my decision this week, latest by tomorrow.”
He was responding to calls by opposition MPs who demanded stern action be taken against Tajuddin for allegedly saying “p*****k”, a Malay swear word crudely referring to a mother’s genitals.
The Umno MP had said this during a verbal exchange with several opposition lawmakers last Wednesday, when he called them out for identifying him as one who is prone to making sexist remarks, while accusing several DAP women members as “tak senonoh” (indecent) and “mulut cabul” (foul-mouthed).
At the time, Rashid, who was chairing the proceeding, had let Tajuddin off with a warning, despite pressure to order the Pasir Salak MP to apologise and retract his statement.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat today, Kasthuri Patto (Batu Kawan-PH) said she was disappointed with Rashid’s decision last week to only issue a warning against Tajuddin, despite the latter violating Standing Order 36(4) of the Dewan Rakyat for using offensive language and making a sexist remark.
She added that this was not the first time that Tajuddin had been involved in a similar situation, describing the Umno man as a “repeat offender”.
“If the speaker doesn’t use chair and privilege to take stern action against foul-mouthed MPs, this will serve as a dangerous precedent,” she said, adding that Tajuddin at the very least must apologise and retract his statement.
Kasthuri also told Rashid that there were at least nine opposition MPs who witnessed the incident last week, while Sim Tze Tzin (Bayan Baru-PH) urged the deputy speaker to record statements from sergeants-at-arms who were on duty to ascertain the allegation.
Meanwhile, R.S.N. Rayer (Jelutong-PH) said the fact that Tajuddin has not issued a denial over the accusations against him since last Wednesday proved that he was guilty. – The Vibes, July 25, 2022
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