KUALA LUMPUR: There was a brief fiery moment in the Dewan Rakyat after MPs engaged in a shouting match with National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique (pic) over ongoing investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra).
The issue began when Halimah (BN-Kota Tinggi) delivered her winding up speech in Parliament on Wednesday (Nov 17) afternoon, where she said she could not answer to pertaining questions on Mitra due to ongoing MACC investigations.
"I was advised by the MACC that the answers I gave on Mitra may disrupt ongoing investigations."
RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) then stood up and said he does not believe that the MACC has the purview to control a minister's parliamentary reply.
Rayer wanted to know whether certain senior MIC politicians were involved in the MACC investigations, and Halimah cut off the DAP MP just before he named the MIC leaders.
"You are repeating what you said in your (Rayer) speech. I have only 40 minutes, please, sit down," said Halimah.
Rayer then stood up and continued pressing Halimah, before he was interrupted by Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon.
"This is the minister's floor, please sit down," said Mohd Rashid.
However, other Opposition MPs then stood up in support of Rayer, and Mohd Rashid subsequently demanded Wong Kah Woh (PH-Ipoh Timur), Kasthuri Patto (PH-Batu Kawan), M. Kulasegaran (PH-Ipoh Barat) to sit down.
Halimah, who looked visibly irritated, then demanded the Opposition MPs to sit down before a shouting match erupted again.
"Just sit down and stop trying to be a hero," said Halimah to Rayer.
A defiant Rayer then stood up and denied that he was being a hero, saying that he just "wants to know the truth".
Mohd Rashid then issued a warning to eject Rayer from the House if he continued disrupting Halimah's winding up speech.
"I'm not interrupting the session, I'm asking on behalf of the people out there," said Rayer.
The Opposition MPs continued heckling Halimah, as the Kota Tinggi MP stood her ground and told them to sit down instead.
"Sit-down lah. You don't understand-ah? Please-lah," exclaimed Halimah.
Mohd Rashid then muted the microphones of the MPs and said according to Standing Order 37 (1)(b), saying that anyone wishing to interject a minister's speech must ask for permission from the speaker chairing the then session.
"Every interjection must ask my permission and I'm not giving it. I want the minister to continue," said Mohd Rashid.
Kasthuri then said she had requested twice for the MACC report on Mitra to be given to her, but it has come to no avail.
"I have already said, all applications for 2019, 2020 and 2021 is under investigations," said a visibly frustrated Halimah.
Mohd Rashid then warned Kasthuri not to interject the minister before asking permission from him.
The other Opposition MPs then relented to Mohd Rashid's orders and Halimah proceeded with her speech.
Later on, Karupaiya Mutusami (PH-Padang Serai) said the Opposition MPs wasn't trying to heckle Halimah, as many of their constituents had been pressuring them over the outcome of the MACC investigation into Mitra.
"When the minister refuses to answer, we will get whacked when we return to our constituency.
"You as a Minister are doing the right thing, but as an elected representative, we have to voice out."
Later on, Halimah praised the Opposition MPs for interjecting her speech without shouting on the microphone.
"Isn't it nice when we all talk like this. My voice is soft, so when you are using a loud voice, I have to go loud."
Halimah then said a written reply would be provided to MPs for issues that she could not manage to cover in her earlier speech.
"I also apologise for not being able to answer certain questions hurled at me. God-willing, I will answer better next time," she said.
Last month, the MACC arrested 16 company directors over a large-scale operations across Klang Valley over suspicion of misappropriating Mitra funds.