BESUT MP Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh has been suspended for three days from today from the Dewan Rakyat for disobeying the order of Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Md Nor.

Ramli ordered Che Mohamad Zulkifly to leave after he repeatedly stood up despite being warned three times.

This happened when Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh was replying to questions raised by Takiyuddin Hassan (Kota Bharu-PN) regarding the use of English in two of the four bills that would be tabled today.

Earlier, the meeting became heated at one point when Takiyuddin questioned why two of the bills use English while the other two bills are bilingual.

“Why is this happening? Is this a change to parliament’s practice? This is not a court where lawyers can speak English fully, but this is Dewan Rakyat, which is fully followed by the people,” he said.

Ramkarpal, who got up to explain the matter after being asked by Ramli, said it should not be an issue.

“For the criminal procedure code and the penal code, the authoritative text is in English. That is why we brought this matter in English. We are not playing tricks… and I believe the deputy minister before me also brought this matter up in English,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rasah MP Cha Kee Chin said the allegations made by the opposition regarding the issue were unjustified and just an attempt to discredit the unity government.

“D.R 5/2023 Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2023 is a version that is 100% the same as the version of D.R 33/2022 that was tabled and approved by the Dewan Rakyat on October 3, 2022 before parliament was dissolved on October 10, 2022,” he told a press conference in Parliament House.

“It was brought back because (the amendment) was not yet tabled in the Dewan Negara. That’s all. I ask the opposition to be constructive.” – Bernama, March 29, 2023.