A DEBATE over the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill 2021 turned farcical today when Deputy Speaker Rashid Hasnon (Batu Pahat-PN) allowed an Umno lawmaker to get away with insulting women MPs.

“But DAP women MPs are vulgar (tak senonoh). Not all but some although I won’t name them,” Tajuddin Abdul Rahman piped up after Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang-BN) was done talking about the bill.

“As for us (Umno), we are not vulgar. You don’t know how we help women. If we were offensive, we wouldn’t win elections,” said the three-term MP.

Tajuddin was alluding to Teo Nie Ching (Kulai-PH) during a debate yesterday when she asked whether the anti-sexual harassment bill will cover MPs who have parliamentary immunity.

During her debate, Teo had mentioned Tajuddin, Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan-BN) and Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (Baling-BN) as examples of MPs who have made sexual innuendos and remarks in parliament. 

Tajuddin’s remarks today riled up DAP lawmakers RSN Rayer (Jelutong-PH), Kasthuriraani Patto (Batu Kawan-PH), Wong Shu Qi (Kluang-PH) and Hannah Yeoh (Segambut-PH), who asked Rashid to punish Tajuddin.

As a result, a shouting match erupted between the DAP lawmakers, who wanted Tajuddin to retract his remark.

After more than 10 minutes of trying to get Rashid to take action, the deputy speaker finally said, “I have warned him”.

Yeoh questioned Rashid’s inaction, accusing the deputy speaking of practising double standards.

“On Monday, you were quick to send out Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Kota Belud-Warisan) for interrupting parliament. Why is there no action against Pasir Salak today?” said Yeoh.

She asked Rashid if he was not penalising Tajuddin because the lawmaker was male and a backbencher.

No stranger to controversy in the House, Tajuddin in 2008 had called M. Kulasegaran (Ipoh Barat-PH) a “bastard”. In 2010, Kulasegaran said Tajuddin had threatened him in the Parliament lobby.

In 2016, Tajuddin called Seputeh MP Teresa Kok “the only woman with a ‘Kok’”. Following the incident, Tajuddin’s sons and supporters went to Parliament to insult and attempt to assault Khalid Samad (Shah Alam-PH), who had come to Kok’s defence and called Tajuddin “sial”. – July 20, 2022.