Umno Youth Press Karpal For Apology

A group of 15 Selangor Umno Youth members on Thursday stopped DAP chairman Karpal Singh from entering Parliament House here and demanded an apology from the Bukit Gelugor Member of Parliament (MP) for alleging that Umno Youth had sent live bullets to him.

The incident occurred at about 2.30pm and caused tension for 15 minutes when the Umno Youth members and several DAP MPs including Karpal Singh's son, Gobind Singh Deo, who is also the MP for Puchong, challenged each other.

The Umno Youth group, led by Serdang Umno Youth head Ungku Mat Salleh and Petaling Jaya Utara Umno Youth head, Latt Shahrizan Abdullah, also demanded an apology from Karpal Singh for uttering the words "Pemuda Umno Celaka" (Damned Umno Youth) during the debate at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

The situation was pacified by BN Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chairman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing who asked the group to disperse, and Karpal Singh later entered the Parliament House via the tower block.

Tiong (BN-Bintulu) later told reporters that he regretted the incident that took place at the grounds of Parliament House and hoped that security around the Parliament building would be tightened.

"Regardless whether whether we are from the Barisan Nasional (BN) or opposition, we must respect the existing constitution, don't make any provocation that could arouse the sentiments of others," he said.

At the same time in the Dewan Rakyat, while Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) was debating the motion of thanks on the speech by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Karpal Singh had sought for permission to seek a ruling from the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, on the police who had not provided protection to him when he was obstructed.

"I want a ruling whether the police were carrying out their job to provide assistance to me. This is unacceptable. What protection you, as a Speaker, will give us, we expect protection from you," he said.

Pandikar Amin said he would meet with Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and ask the police to investigate the matter.

"I will give a very clear ruling. If it occurs within the grounds of the Parliament House, such a thing has never occurred here.

"I don't allow such things to happen in Parliament like celebrating birthdays because the interest of everyone, especially security must be preserved, this is what I have stressed right from the start," he said.

Pandikar Amin's reply drew a firm response from Karpal Singh who wanted an investigation to be carried out there and then as he claimed the group was still loitering within the grounds of Parliament House.

Pandikar Amin then ordered the Parliament security personnel to maintain security and check the claim by Karpal Singh.

Meanwhile, Karpal Singh, together with Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang, were seen meeting Pandikar Amin in the Dewan Rakyat Speaker's office.

Karpal, when met later, said they had demanded Pandikar to take legal action against the group who had caused the commotion.

He said that Section 9E, Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 provided for "assaulting, obstructing or insulting any member coming to or going from the House or on account of his conduct in the house or endeavouring to compel any member by force, insult, or menace to declare himself in favour of or against any proposition or matter pending or expected to be brought before the house".

He also asked the Speaker to make the ruling at today's session.

-- BERNAMA