This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on July 4, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Pasir Salak member of parliament (MP) Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was ordered out of Parliament yesterday, after he turned aggressive and shouted at Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming, accusing the latter of not respecting him as the people’s representative.

Nga said Tajuddin is also suspended from Parliament for four days.

The uproar occurred after Tajuddin expressed disappointment that his query on the success of the cash crop programme was not answered by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub but Salahuddin’s deputy Sim Tze Tzin.

“I want to make a statement here that it was disappointing that the minister himself was here when the House was hearing the previous question before mine, but he left when it was about to be his turn to answer my questions,” said Tajuddin.

“He (Salahuddin) did not respect me as the people’s representative,” Tajuddin said when he was supposed to ask his additional question within one minute.

Nga then urged Tajuddin to proceed with the question, as his allotted time was running out. Tajuddin, offended, shouted at Nga, accusing the latter of not respecting him as the people’s representative.

Nga then ordered Tajuddin out of the House for two days for being adamant and not complying with his order under Standing Orders 44 (2), Bernama reported.

“I advised him repeatedly to sit down so as not to waste the time of this august House but he was obstinate and deliberately so,” he said.

Tajuddin refused to yield, prompting Nga to issue a fresh order for him to stay out of the House for four days. The oral question-and-answer session resumed after the commotion lasting about 15 minutes.

Salahuddin, when approached by reporters at the Parliament lobby, said it is normal practice for deputy ministers to reply to questions in the House.