Opposition stages walkout after PAS MP ejected for calling Guan Eng ‘pondan’

(The Star) – The opposition staged a walkout in Parliament here on Tuesday (April 2) after PAS’ Pengkalan Chepa MP Ahmad Marzuk Shaary was ejected after he called Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng a pondan (sissy).

During debates on the Supplementary Supply Bill, Ahmad claimed that he had proof that the current system was open to all contractors, causing bumiputra contractors to lose out.

Lim told Ahmad that he could show the proof later outside Parliament.

This sparked off a shouting match between the duo, with Ahmad saying: “I’m anak jantan (masculine) and not a pondan (sissy) like the Bagan MP”.

Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon subsequently ejected and suspended Ahmad from the Dewan for two days, after Ahmad insisted on reading out his “proof”.

Ahmad, who spoke to reporters outside the House, said he was perplexed that Lim did not give him a chance to furnish the evidence during the debates.

“Parliamentary debates are being watched by the world. People are observing whether our facts are accurate or not.

“Therefore, the right word to use here is ‘tak jantan’ (not man enough)… When a minister does not want to give an explanation, this means that he is afraid.

“Being afraid isn’t a manly trait. As a man, we fight and are brave because we speak based on facts,” he said.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that all Barisan MPs walked out as a sign of solidarity with their opposition partners.

“Only Pengkalan Chepa MP was ejected. So, PAS and Barisan all walked out. No one is inside the Dewan.

“This is a sign of solidarity with our partners,” he added.

When opposition MPs returned to the House later, Tanjong Karang MP Tan Sri Noh Omar claimed that the opposition had evidence that several government projects were not awarded with an open tender system.

Noh Omar said that the maintenance of the luxury yacht Equanimity, which was seized from fugitive businessman Jho Loh, was being handled by a company appointed last August.

“RM14mil was spent to maintain the Equanimity. The issue here is why the maintenance (contract) for the ship was awarded via direct negotiation?” he questioned.

Noh Omar was speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby on Tuesday (April 2).

In March 28, it was reported that Putrajaya had spent a total of RM11mil on the maintenance of the Equanimity, and an additional RM3.22mil was budgeted for the superyacht’s upkeep from January to March.

The report also stated that ship management company was appointed last August to maintain the Equanimity.

At the same time, Noh Omar claimed the opposition has evidence to prove that a contract for the dual-language Form 3 Mathematics and Science textbooks were awarded via direct negotiation.

“If the Finance Minister is saying that the government now is using the open tender system, that is a dishonest and inaccurate statement.

“There are certain tenders made via direct negotiations and there may be certain vested interests,” he claimed.

In Jan 21, it was reported that the dual-language textbooks for 2019 would be awarded to publishers via two methods – open tender and direct negotiations.

Noh Omar, without mincing his words, dismissed Lim as a “pondan (sissy)”.

“We have evidence that this minister is lying inside the Dewan regarding the open tender system,” he said.