Speaker warns sexist remarks, bad behaviour in Parliament will not be tolerated
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul said there will soon be an etiquette guideline in Parliament to put an end to sexist remarks and the use of unparliamentary words.
English daily The Star reported him as saying that such bad behaviour will not be tolerated any longer as the sessions are broadcasted in the media and accessible to everyone including children.
“I met the president of the upper house, Tan Sri Rais Yatim, and he is very concerned about that, and together we will probably propose ethics and etiquette.
“If MPs do not behave, how do you expect the public to behave? Then you take Parliament House to a very low level, and (it) will not be respected. So I do not tolerate that,” he was quoted as saying.
He said the events from when the Anti-Sexual Harassment act was debated in the Dewan Rakyat last July should not have happened, referring to the incident when then Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman allegedly insulted several DAP women lawmakers of being foul-mouthed and indecent.
He added that sexist remarks and unparliamentary remarks disguised as jokes only showed one’s insensitivity and immaturity.
However, Johari said he would like to take a soft approach when it comes to upholding the decorum in the House, but senior MPs whose “old habits die hard” would be issued with harsher punishment.
“I don’t want to eject people, and I don’t want to punish people. Remember, MPs come with various backgrounds, experiences, and qualifications,” he said.
He added that MPs and their offices would be given training, and asked to attend courses and seminars on proper parliamentary etiquette to assimilate them into the system.
“We will cover as much as possible so that after six months, they will become better as an MP,” he told The Star.
With at least 80 first-time MPs on board, Johari said he plans to have an informal gathering amongst the MPs to build better relationships and share his experience as a three-term lawmaker.
He said training sessions and seminars will be conducted in schools to appeal to students and adolescents when the Dewan Rakyat is not in session to build future lawmakers and give a preview of what it is like to be debating in the chambers.
“During the break, there will be a lot of training, I will concentrate on youth leaders and get school head boys and head girls as well as captains to organise a trip here,” he said.
He said this initiative would see about 1,000 to 5,000 participants a year for five years, growing many potential future MPs.
“I hope some of them will become MPs of the future regardless of which party they join,” he reportedly said.
