Bad MPs why Malaysia not a mature democracy, says Ambiga
Lawyer-activist Ambiga Sreenevasan says lawmakers in the old days were more mature and professional.
KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer-activist Ambiga Sreenevasan said Malaysia should not be considered a mature democracy due to bad parliamentarians in the Dewan Rakyat.
Speaking at a forum here today, she criticised the MPs, particularly government MPs, who do not read the bills and vote according to the demands of the government instead of using their own judgment.
Her statement followed earlier remarks by Damansara MP Tony Pua who said Malaysia has “stupid ministers” because smart people avoid politics.
“When we (civil society groups) were lobbying against the hideous National Security Council Bill, we went to Parliament and I can tell you that there were government MPs who were going to vote on the bill who had not read the bill,” Ambiga said during a forum linked to the book “Parliament Unexpected” by former Dewan Rakyat speaker Ariff Yusof.
“As far as they are concerned, it is not their job. They are there to just vote the way the government wants them to vote. Full stop,” she added.
Ambiga said MPs in the old days were known to be mature and professional in their debates in the august house, as shown in the Parliament’s Hansard.
Now, the quality of the parliamentary debates has disintegrated, she added.
She stressed that a mature democracy is achievable in Malaysia when voters elect good MPs, whom they can trust to carry out reforms.
“I trust Hannah (Yeoh). I trust Syed Saddiq (Syed Abdul Rahman),” she added, referring to two other MPs who were also panel members of the forum.
KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer-activist Ambiga Sreenevasan said Malaysia should not be considered a mature democracy due to bad parliamentarians in the Dewan Rakyat.
Speaking at a forum here today, she criticised the MPs, particularly government MPs, who do not read the bills and vote according to the demands of the government instead of using their own judgment.
Her statement followed earlier remarks by Damansara MP Tony Pua who said Malaysia has “stupid ministers” because smart people avoid politics.
“When we (civil society groups) were lobbying against the hideous National Security Council Bill, we went to Parliament and I can tell you that there were government MPs who were going to vote on the bill who had not read the bill,” Ambiga said during a forum linked to the book “Parliament Unexpected” by former Dewan Rakyat speaker Ariff Yusof.
“As far as they are concerned, it is not their job. They are there to just vote the way the government wants them to vote. Full stop,” she added.
Ambiga said MPs in the old days were known to be mature and professional in their debates in the august house, as shown in the Parliament’s Hansard.
Now, the quality of the parliamentary debates has disintegrated, she added.
She stressed that a mature democracy is achievable in Malaysia when voters elect good MPs, whom they can trust to carry out reforms.
“I trust Hannah (Yeoh). I trust Syed Saddiq (Syed Abdul Rahman),” she added, referring to two other MPs who were also panel members of the forum.
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