put them on camera!...

his sacarsm rocks! :) ...

the 'REAL' reason is still unknown till today as to why malaysia parliament hearings not being shown live... must and got to be something they are afraid off eh?!?...

anyway, with people taking initiative and recording it and posting it on youtube and/or some other sites for the benefits of all malaysians, makes no difference eh?!? :) ...

just go to youtube and type 'malaysia parliament'... you'll be able to see wat kinda clowns people actually voted for.... fm the bocor issue to the stupid issue to ap queen apperance in parliament to uncle on mrr2 to the pathertic claims of, "malaysia ini negara islam, you tidak suka, you keluar dari malaysia" issue to many others...


p/s ; between bodoh, bangang and bahlul... pls choose one... :) ...







Put them on camera

ALONG THE WATCHTOWER
By M.VEERA PANDIYAN

Live coverage of Parliament debates may make errant MPs behave better.

IF IT’S always going to be a circus, watching it live would be more entertaining. The frolics of the clowns alone might provide more amusement than the shows on television these days.

Hats off to Kalabakan MP Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh for one of the better suggestions to come from a backbencher in the Dewan Rakyat recently.

“Let’s telecast the debates live on TV so that the MPs will behave,” he proposed last week, noting that parts of parliamentary debates – including the trading of harsh words and insults – were already being screened on some news segments.

But a spoilsport in the form of Deputy Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi threw cold water on the idea, giving the most cockamamie of excuses. He said no on the grounds that RTM would disallow lucah (obscene) words to be aired.

“Some quarters, including the opposition, are recording debates as well as heated arguments onto CDs and distributing them. My advice is we should behave ourselves in the House,” he said.

Isn’t that precisely the point? If MPs who use vulgar language and behave like thugs realise that their words and antics would be seen by all and sundry, might they not want to mend their ways?

Live coverage could also help identify the silent Yang Berhormats (The Honourable) who just warm their seats in Parliament, not to mention those who use the august hall as a convenient place for their afternoon naps.

Of course, viewer ratings for live TV coverage of parliamentary proceedings would be a long way off from shows like Akademi Fantasia, as much of it would feature soporific speeches.

But boring or not, voters shouldn’t be deprived of watching how their elected representatives perform where it really matters. After all they pay these YBs’ tax-free salaries, fat allowances and life-long pensions.

With cameras focused on them, would MPs still go for the burlesque? You know, like cracking crude, sexist “bocor” (leakage) jokes, getting all hot and bothered by scantily clad Super GT models, or stewing over the “sexy” uniforms of Malaysian Airlines stewardesses.

Just imagine watching the dramas unfold in Parliament, with close-ups of the faces of the rankled MPs raising such matters of utmost importance to the nation.

If opinions are based merely on newspaper reports, Malaysians can’t be faulted for thinking that many of our MPs are preoccupied with jaga tepi kain (monitoring hemlines) instead of jaga kepentingan rakyat (looking after the peoples’ interests).

Whether they accept it or not, the general perception is our MPs dwell too much on trivial matters instead of focusing on the real issues affecting the country.

Surely, there are enough compelling subjects for them to get agitated over. Here’s a small sampling: corruption, weaknesses in the education system, rising levels of crime, drug abuse, disregard for rule of law and gross misuse and wastage of public funds.

Wouldn’t it be a welcome change to see backbenchers grandstanding before the cameras, getting riled up over corruption in high places, or demanding clarification over claims of police-crime links?

If and when that happens, who knows, voters might be tempted to do something special for them, perhaps even wear T-shirts proclaiming: “I am YB So & So’s constituent ... And proud of it!”

Most of us, however, would be content to just see our MPs argue their cases against opponents intelligently and rationally, not display spoilt-brat temper tantrums or frenzied screaming of un-parliamentary terms like the recent outbursts of Bodoh! Bodoh! Bodoh!” (Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!)

But then again, with politics being such a bizarre realm, Malaysians too might eventually warm up to such behaviour, as in the case of Taiwan where brawling and unruly behaviour have become the norm in Parliament.

Apparently, voters on the island expect their representatives to fight hard on issues – both verbally and physically. To get maximum media coverage and support back home, legislators plan their showdown strategy to the extent of choreographing the pushes, shoves and fisticuffs.

In the end, it’s all about our level of acceptance. As long as we choose to allow errant MPs to remain unaccountable for their words and misdeeds, we shouldn't expect things to get any better.

Within the walls of the Dewan Rakyat, however, the onus is on Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib and his deputies, Datuk Lim Si Cheng and Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob, to draw the line on unacceptable conduct.

They ought to wield their gavels more resolutely against misbehaving members, irrespective of party allegiances. They must hammer home the importance of maintaining the decorum and dignity of the House.



M. Veera Pandiyan Deputy Editor, New Media, a taxpayer who has voted in the past six general elections, has always been observing what MPs say and do in and out of Parliament.


http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?file=/2007/7/5/columnists/alongthewatchtower/18191475&sec=Along%20The%20Watchtower