The View From a Public Gallery
By A Civic Minded Citizen
Last week I exercised my duty as a concerned public citizen and went to watch sittings of the DUN. I managed to observe how the Government Bench and most of the Opposition Bench carried themselves. It was disgraceful and appalling, to say the least.
The BN back-benchers, and even some front-benchers (Ministers included), were heckling the Opposition and calling them names. I am not surprised because many BN back-benchers are not highly educated. We would be hard-pressed to expect them to understand the dignity of their office. However, to see Ministers shouting across the room is an eye-opener. These men and women are supposed to run the state and yet they indulge in shouting matches like school children? Now I understand why our state-run ministries are sub-standard.
As for the Opposition Bench, it was no better. Now I know why James Masing calls them ‘monkeys’. I am disappointed that my representative in DUN is behaving like one. My ADUN was trying to bring up a good and pertinent point about the bloated salaries of a certain GLC and how it charges the public exorbitant amounts in bills. However, he was shouting it out loud! Seriously,do we need to behave like rough, crude and boisterous people in order to put a point across? My ADUN’s antagonistic manner was a turn-off. Now I understand why the BN back-benchers heckled him. I felt cheated, not by BN but by my Pakatan Rakyat ADUN. The point he was trying to make was a crucial one, but the manner in which he delivered it only invited scorn and resulted in the matter falling on deaf ears. In the end, my ADUN did not serve his constituents by putting the matter across effectively. He was only serving his ego and engaging in a shouting match.
My observation was that, except for veteran Chiew Chin Sing from Kidurong and new-comer Christina Liew from Batu Kawa, the entire DAP Bench adopted this antagonistic, high-octane approach of deliberately ‘opposing for the sake of opposing only’. I also noted that in press statements, their leader Wong Ho Leng from Bukit Assek defended this approach, saying it was DAP’s style. Well, if they continue in this style,then they cannot blame the public for thinking of them as self-centred ‘monkeys’ and they certainly can forget getting their points across in a civilised manner. In the end, they would not have served the interest of the Rakyat at all.
The only times the entire DUN was silent was when the PKR ADUNs spoke. You could hear a pin drop when Baru Bian stood up to speak. Now why is that? The PKR reps did not shout, they did not antagonise and they certainly did not bang tables or point their fingers or engage in a back-and-forth with the Speaker. In fact, there was no need as the Speaker never interrupted them nor did anyone from the BN side, on points of order. Instead, these well prepared PKR reps stood with dignity while calmly and resolutely delivering their speeches. Everyone listened to them. I even noticed the Speaker nodding his head several times, agreeing with Baru Bian from Ba’ Kelalan as he delivered his maiden speech.
James Masing, who called the Opposition ‘monkeys’ in an earlier press statement, was quick to point out that PKR reps were different and took a more softer but effective approach in getting their points across. This, he said, was constructive and meant that the government would listen to what PKR reps had to say.
While DAP reps engage in banging tables and shouting at the top of their voices, it seems PKR reps are taking their duties with serious pride, dignity and a very promising gentlemanly approach of quiet but firm criticism. This is what we, the Rakyat, want. We want to be heard, not shouted down or told to stand down by the Speaker. Perhaps the PKR reps are new and therefore still learning the tangled ropes of the House, and hence, are not as vocal. But it is this courteous manner that will serve them well in discharging their duties as representatives of the Rakyat.
I am not alone in saying that the PKR reps have earned themselves much approval and respect from many within both sides of the House this past week. We can clearly observe who are serving the Rakyat and who are serving their own bloated egos. All statesmen are politicians but not all politicians are statesmen.
