MPs should declare Senator Kayveas persona non grata  in the  Dewan Rakyat for his obnoxious locker-room language  demeaning and degrading Parliament and ban him from entering Dewan Rakyat unless he makes fulsome  apology and unqualified contrition


Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang

(Petaling Jaya, Friday): It is most shocking that the Dewan Rakyat has taken so lightly the obnoxious behaviour of Senator Datuk M. Kayveas, who had demeaned and degraded Parliament by his locker-room language of “one-night stand” and “two-night stand” when answering questions as Housing and Local Government Deputy Minister in Parliament on Wednesday. 

Even in civil  Internet chat-rooms, there are civilized guidelines banning the use of indecent and bawdy language but such decencies and civilities are completely lost not only on Kayveas, but on the Speaker and many Members of Parliament in allowing Kayveas to gloat that he could use such locker-room language, with many Barisan Nasional  MPs obviously enjoying it without any sense of disapproval. 

The issue is now no more Kayveas but how the august chamber of Dewan Rakyat  could allow a Senator to demean and degrade it with such locker-room language without any sense of outrage whatsoever. 

Any self-respecting MP, regardless of party, race, religion or gender,  would have censured Kayveas for such locker-room language and it is most shameful that the elected MPs have done nothing to retrieve their honour and dignity and that of the Dewan Rakyat, with Kayveas preening on his cleverness to talk about “two-night stand” while withdrawing the term “one-night stand”.

The MPs  in the Dewan Rakyat should declare Senator Kayveas persona non grata  in the  Dewan Rakyat for his obnoxious locker-room language  demeaning and degrading Parliament and ban him from entering Dewan Rakyat unless he makes fulsome apology and demonstrate unqualified contrition for his boorish behaviour. 

If MPs in the Dewan Rakyat cannot protect their own self-respect, honour and dignity by administering a stern lesson to Kayveas for demeaning and degrading Parliament with his locker-room language, then they are raising fundamental questions about their own credibility and relevance.

(20/9/2002)


*Lim Kit Siang - DAP National Chairman