Photo taken from Astro AwaniBy Syauqi Jamil
KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional Rembau lawmker Khairy Jamaluddin today took outspoken DAP Jelutong MP RSN Rayer to task in the Dewan Rakyat for being the dim shadow of the late Karpal Singh.
After he was constantly interrupted by Rayer, Khairy said that the former is ‘desperate to be like Karpal’, who is also a former Jelutong MP.
He then took things further by taking another swing at Rayer, saying that he is ‘nowhere near’ Karpal.
“Jelutong is my friend. But since he became an MP, he is very desperate to be like the late Karpal Singh.”
“My friend, I had the honour of being in this House with Karpal Singh for years. You are nowhere near Karpal Singh. Sit down,” Khairy told Rayer in Dewan Rakyat earlier.
It all started when Khairy was debating on the government’s motion to abolish the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to make way and reintroduce the Sales and Services Tax (SST).
As Khairy was elaborating his points on why GST is a more efficient taxation system in compared to SST, Rayer had stood up and asked Khairy if former Prime Minister Najib Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor had paid GST.
Despite being slammed with the remark, the persistent Rayer continued to press his question to Khairy, although the latter had continuosly refused give way.
“I know, I can tell you. Nobody can replace Karpal Singh. But I’m asking you a question.”
“If you’re a man, you answer the question here. Did your ex-prime minister’s wife pay GST? Answer my question. If you are brave, answer the question.” said Rayer.
Khairy then replied saying that Rayer’s accusations must be established in the court of law, adding that the latter are merely making assumptions, before proceeding with his debate.
Karpal was a figure respected by both sides of the political divide due to his excellent oratory skills in the August House.
The man dubbed ‘Tiger of Jelutong’ held the Jelutong parliamentary seat from 1978 to 1999 before moving to Bukit Gelugor from 2004 to 2014.
He died on 17 April 2014 in a motor-vehicle accident.
