Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KUALALUMPUR338
2008-04-30 13:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:  

NEW PARLIAMENT OPENS - GET READY TO RUMBLE

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PINR KDEM MY 
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VZCZCXRO2031
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHKL #0338/01 1211306
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 301306Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0918
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000338 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EAP/MTS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2013
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR KDEM MY
SUBJECT: NEW PARLIAMENT OPENS - GET READY TO RUMBLE


Classified By: POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MARK D. CLARK, REASON 1.4 (B AND
D).

Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000338

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EAP/MTS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2013
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR KDEM MY
SUBJECT: NEW PARLIAMENT OPENS - GET READY TO RUMBLE


Classified By: POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MARK D. CLARK, REASON 1.4 (B AND
D).

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Malaysia's new Parliament opened April 29 with a
significantly increased opposition presence following the
March 8 election. The Ambassador attended the official
opening, which featured the King reading the speech prepared
by Prime Minister Abdullah's government focused on domestic
rice bowl issues. Parliament's first working session on
April 30, telecast for the first 30 minutes, immediately
deteriorated into pandemonium with ruling coalition and
opposition members generously trading insults, jeers, and
name-calling. Opposition MPs, emboldened by their March 8
gains and inspired by de facto opposition leader Anwar
Ibrahim, have told us they intend to prove themselves to the
public and aggressively challenge the government side at
every turn. We anticipate the rough give-and-take will
continue. End Summary.

King's Reads Address to New Parliament
--------------


2. (SBU) The Twelfth Malaysian Parliament Session, the first
following the March general election, began on April 29, one
day after the 222 Members of Parliament (MP) took their oath
of office before the newly elected Speaker, Pandikar Amin
Mulia. The Ambassador, along with other heads of diplomatic
missions, attended the April 29 ceremony. Per tradition, the
King officially opened the session with a speech, written by
the Prime Minister's office. The address focused primarily
on domestic rice bowl issues, and covered four broad themes:
domestic economic development, needed reforms, national
security, and briefly Malaysia's international standing. The
speech highlighted Prime Minister Badawi's proposed judicial
reforms and restructuring of the Anticorruption Agency to
make it more independent. After praising the Royal Malaysian
Police, the king noted there was room to improve its
effectiveness. The King also praised the role played by the
newly created Border Regiment and the two-year old Malaysian
Maritime Enforcement Agency in combating smuggling, piracy,

and illegal immigration. The speech concluded with comments
on Malaysia's leadership as outgoing chair of the
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC),citing specifically
Malaysia's efforts to elevate the image of Islam and
counteract the negative perception alluded to it "by certain
parties."

A Day of Firsts for Parliament
--------------


3. (U) The new parliamentary session contains several
"firsts" in Malaysia's history. The ruling National Front
(BN) coalition, although it retained the majority seats, lost
its two-thirds majority in the March election. This means
that BN can continue to pass parliamentary bills, but will
need opposition support to amend the Constitution. The new
Speaker of Parliament and two Deputy Speakers are from the
East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. Previously, the
Speakers were always from peninsular Malaysia. The 82 MPs
from the opposition coalition People's Alliance (PA)
unanimously elected Wan Azizah, President of the People's
Justice Party (PKR) and wife of former Deputy Prime Minister
Anwar Ibrahim, the first woman opposition leader. The
Ministry of Information also announced daily 30-minute live
telecasts of parliament, never before instituted. The
opposition urged the government to telecast the entire
session live.

"Bigfoot" versus "Big Monkey"
--------------


4. (SBU) April 30 represented the first working day for
parliament, which will continue in session through May 27.
Poloff witnessed the rambunctious April 30 morning session.
Nearly all of the 222 MPs, including the Prime Minister and
his Cabinet, were present. Pandemonium broke out within
minutes after the session began. Opposition MPs were quick
to flex their new muscles, trading insults, jeers, and
name-calling with BN parliamentarians. A favorite opposition
taunt was to remind BN of the "political tsunami" generated
by the March 8 election results. Shouting matches started
over such issues as why the opposition was allocated only
three out of the top ten initial questions submitted to the
Prime Minister and his Cabinet and why the first question was
not reserved for the opposition leader, whose question was
listed as third. During one fiery exchange, Democratic

KUALA LUMP 00000338 002 OF 002


Action Party (DAP) Chairman Karpol Singh called a BN MP a
"Bigfoot" with the BN MP retaliating by calling Karpol a "big
monkey." MPs were generous with invitations for the other
side to "shut up." The hostilities peaked when an UMNO MP
called on Karpol, who is wheelchair bound, to show respect to
the Speaker of Parliament when speaking to him by standing.

Rookie Speaker Fumbles, Opposition Pounces
--------------


5. (SBU) Speaker of Parliament Pandikar tried to restore
calm and order, but his inexperience showed and he fumbled a
procedural call early. After Prime Minister Abdullah
answered the first question tendered, Pandikar refused to
allow the traditional supplementary questions by MPs. This
prompted former opposition leader Lim Kit Siang to respond.
He called the Speaker's action "unprecedented, a mockery of
parliament and a conspiracy to silence the 82 members of the
opposition." The chaotic scenes occurred during the
allocated time for live broadcasts, but sources tell us the
broadcast was delayed. One BN MP told poloffs he thought the
opposition MPs were taking advantage of the telecast to
promote themselves. Information Minister Shabery Cheek told
the press that if the opposition continues to turn parliament
into a "circus", the Ministry would reconsider its live
broadcast. Only three of more than thirty-five questions
were addressed before the 90 minute question and answer
session ended.

Comment - Let's Get Ready to Rumble
--------------


6. (C) This clearly is not the Parliament Malaysians have
known in the past. The ruling National Front coalition and
Prime Minister Abdullah's leading United Malays National
Organization (UMNO) have never had to face such a large
opposition presence in Parliament. Opposition MPs,
emboldened by their March 8 gains and inspired by de facto
opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, have told us they intend to
prove themselves to the public and aggressively challenge the
government side at every turn, embarrassing BN and UMNO
whenever possible. Live television broadcasts of Parliament
in action represent a good step for democracy, but we are not
sure the government will continue this measure given the
rough give-and-take that will be shown.

KEITH