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Opposition MPs to ask for meeting with Ramli Ngah next week to hear his
vision, commitment and passion on parliamentary reform and modernization to
transform the Malaysian Parliament into a first-world Parliament and
Parliament’s role in the campaign against corruption Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Ipoh, Saturday): Opposition Members of Parliament will ask for a meeting with the Barisan Nasional candidate for Parliament Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib (Pasir Salak) to hear his vision, commitment and passion on parliamentary reform and modernization to transform the Malaysian Parliament into a first-world Parliament. We will ask to meet with Ramli next week before Parliament reconvenes on November 22 when it will have to elect a new Speaker as the first item of parliamentary business to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Tun Mohamad Zahir Ismail, who set the record of being the longest-serving Speaker for 22 years.
There are two candidates for the post of Speaker of Parliament, Ramli and Dr. Tan Seng Giaw (DAP – Kepong), which will create history in being the first time in the 47-year history of the nation for a contest for the post of Parliament Speaker.
Seng Giaw, who as a six-term Member of Parliament, is a very experienced senior ASEAN Parliamentarian, and eminently qualified for the responsibilities as a Speaker at a most critical juncture, as the biggest challenge of the new Speaker is to transform the Malaysian Parliament from a third-world into a first-world Parliament through a bold and wide-ranging programme of parliamentary reform and modernization.
Seng Giaw should not be regarded as an Opposition candidate in the same way that Ramli should not be regarded as a government candidate, with MPs required to vote blindly and unthinkingly according to party lines.
Both Ramli and Seng Giaw should also spell out their views about Parliament’s role not only on the various emerging issues in the era of globalization, liberalization and information and communication technologies, but the long-standing intractable issues like corruption.
I have no doubt that Seng Giaw would be prepared to meet with Barisan Nasional MPs to explain his vision, commitment and passion for parliamentary reform and modernization.
When I meet up with Ramli, I would in particular like to know whether he agrees that Parliament should be in the forefront to support the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the battle against corruption.
Ramli had been Perak Mentri Besar for 18 years from 1981 to 1999, and there had been various allegations of scandals under his leadership of the Perak state government, which had been made both inside and outside the Perak State Assembly, which he should give full and satisfactory account.
The election of a Parliament Speaker first time in Malaysian history is a test whether the 219 MPs elected in the 11th general election in March are prepared to support the Prime Minister’s pledge to eradicate the “First World Infrastructure, Third World Mentality” disease which is the greatest impediment to Vision 2020 and the objective for Malaysia to become a fully-developed nation.
Members of Parliament, whether Barisan Nasional or Opposition, should demonstrate that they have the “First-World Parliament” mentality by voting for the best person and candidate for Parliament Speaker, regardless of party affiliation.
All MPs should keep an open mind on the election of the Speaker and vote for the candidate who, in the next one week, can spell out the better vision, commitment and passion for an agenda of action to make the Malaysian Parliament a First-World Parliament within 24 months.
This is why Ramli should be prepared to meet with Opposition MPs just as Seng Giaw should be prepared to meet with Barisan Nasional MPs to convince parliamentarians as to who has the superior vision and greater commitment and passion to make the Malaysian Parliament a First World-Parliament. |