Furore over 'stupid' word
by Lee Yuk Peng, The Star, Sun 9 Dec 2007
The Opposition insisted that the word used against Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin was "go blog" but the backbenchers said they heard "goblok," the Javanese term for stupid.
And that was enough for both sides to go head-on for a verbal clash at the Dewan Rakyat last week with Lim Kit Siang tabling a motion to cut Zainuddin's salary by RM10.
The RM10 cut is a symbolic parliamentary practice, often used by the Opposition to embarrass the Government.
The uproar erupted with shouts of backbenchers: "Tarik balik ..." (retract) with some standing up pointing at Lim, some shouting from their seats and some frantically flipping the Standing Orders to look for a clause to "nab" the Opposition Leader.
Datuk Mohamed Aziz (BN - Sri Gading), Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar (BN - Larut), Datuk Idris Haron (BN - Tangga Batu) and others were seen demanding that he retract the word.
"Don't insult others, everyone here de- serves respect," Mohamed told Lim amid loud shouts.
Lim and deputy speaker Datuk Lim Si Cheng, seemingly unsure of the word, appeared lost and both asked the same question: "Retract what?"
As the House was getting chaotic, Si Cheng had a tough time telling everyone to sit down when many stood up to speak at the same time until someone shouted "Sit!"
"Do you know what goblok is?" Idris asked in the midst of uproar.
"How can you use the word when you do not know what it means?" asked Raja Ahmad Zainuddin.
Kit Siang: "Guna (use) blogs lah! Is this an unparliamentary word?"
Mohamed: "You know the meaning, you know it. Retract!"
Raja Ahmad Zainuddin : "You twisted it. Retract!"
Idris: "Ipoh Timur (referring to Kit Siang) goblok!"
A red-faced Si Cheng, who finally managed to restore order in the House and asked Kit Siang what its meaning were, the latter said his understanding of goblok meant untrue things.
Mohd Daud Tarihep (BN - Kuala Selangor ) came to everyone's rescue when he stood up to explain: " I am a Javanese. It means stupid in Javanese. Please retract now."
Si Cheng resorted to making a ruling forbidding Kit Siang from using the word after the latter insisted that the minister had used it before in previous debates.
Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN - Bera), Datuk Mahadzir Khir (BN - Sungai Petani), Deputy Minister Datuk Anifah Aman took turns to insist Kit Siang withdraw the word.
It got to a point that Mohamed suggested that Si Cheng order Kit Siang to leave the House.
Kit Siang claimed that Zainuddin, a former Utusan Malaysia editor-in-chief, should have blazed the path and expanded space for greater media freedom.
Malaysia's ranking in the World Press Freedom dropped from 92 to 134 this year, he said.
In reply, Zainuddin said there was press freedom in the country as the RTM website ran Kit Siang's blogs but the latter's blogs did not carry any RTM news.
"He used to sue newspapers when papers made mistakes and anything that did not suit him.
"As an Opposition Leader, he takes court action to intimidate newspapers. He has yet to be powerful. What would happen if he were powerful? He will shut down all the papers. He will suppress journalism," Zainuddin said.
The minister said instead, Kit Siang's salary should be cut as he failed to be a clean Oppo- sition Leader with quality and integrity.
Receiving thunderous applause from backbenchers, Zainuddin continued: "He joined illegal assembly with the Talibans, the extremists. He was the only Chinese there.
"He has damaged his party's reputation and intimidated all Chinese in the country who do not condone illegal assembly. He will find no support from the Chinese community in the coming elections."
Kit Siang's efforts to stand up several times to seek clarification were futile as many backbenchers taking turn to interject by saying: "Sit Down", "Minister don't give way," "Minister please go on," and so on.
It was only when Zainuddin gave his explanation that several contract staff from RTM's Tamil radio Minnal FM were terminated due to unsatisfactory work performance and not because of Hindraf that the House returned to normal.
Zainuddin was not the only minister to face such a motion. A week earlier, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy also faced a similar motion.
Tomorrow, Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed would reply to a similar motion filed by Kit Siang to cut his salary due to the declining standard of local varsities.
On the same day, a similar motion filed by Fong Po Kuan (DAP - Batu Gajah ) to cut Internal Security Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi's salary due to increasing crime rate will also be moved.
Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad would also face a similar motion filed by Teresa Kok (DAP - Seputeh) on alleged abuse of power by Rela.
The House sits again tomorrow.
