KUALA LUMPUR, 12 March 2009: Sabah’s Ranau Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Siringan Gubat (BN-Ranau) today became the first backbencher to be ordered to leave a sitting of the Dewan Rakyat since it convened in April last year.
Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia ordered Siringan out after he used the word “ngam” (“correct” in Sabah dialect) in agreeing with the Speaker that any MP not following the Standing Orders (SOs) would be asked to leave the Dewan.
Pandikar Amin was admonishing MPs about the Standing Orders, saying that he would take action against any MP if they failed to observe them.
Siringan interrupted saying “ngam, Yang Dipertua, ngam” without standing and seeking permission to speak.
He was only allowed back in for the afternoon sitting which started at 2.30pm.
It all began when someone uttered “bodoh” as Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa (PAS-Parit Buntar) was seeking clarification on the action the government would take against political party members who made seditious remarks.
On hearing the word, Mujahid lost his cool and demanded the MP responsible own up which caused things to get heated up, hence requiring Pandikar’s intervention.
When approached in the Parliament lobby, Siringan said: “When the Speaker explained something, I just said ‘ngam’…ngam is ‘correct’ in a local dialect in Sabah…he (the Speaker) later accepted my apologies, it’s ok, I’m alright.” — Bernama
