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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright December 2022
If a signed transcript of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern calling an opposition lawmaker an "arrogant prick" raised NZ$100,100 (US$62,950) for charity, how much would we be able to generate by doing the same with derogatory words from our own Members of Parliament (MPs) in Malaysia?
The NZ PM was caught unaware making the remark against an opposition party leader Seymour during a debate. Her comment was picked up by an open microphone and subsequently included in the Hansard. Seymour and Ardern printed the Hansard, signed it and auctioned off to raise money for Prostate Cancer Foundation.
We must admit that the NZ PM and an opposition leader do have a sense of humour so much so that they managed to turn adversarial differences into an opportunity to help others in need.
Would our local MPs have the desire and courage to first apologise to one another over derogatory remarks and turn their hostility into an opportunity to help the rakyat?
Debates during the first week of Parliament has been at best an alarmingly circus-like comedy theatre.
That prompted Aliran to publish an article Parliament is not a circus which says "Parliament is obviously not a stage for MPs to strut or perform like court jesters."
To everyone who tuned in to live telecast on the sessions, it was really disappointing to see elected officials behaving so unprofessionally in the august assembly.
"We fear that some, who were busily trading insults, might have succeeded only in making themselves look stupid. And we obviously do not need stupid parliamentarians."
In any case, taking a leaf from Jacinda Ardern's experience in New Zealand Parliament, couldn't we turn these insult trading into a script for a comedy theatre to raise funds for those who are in need?
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