Dewan Rakyat: It looks like nothing has changed between two foes

Member of parliament for Kinabatangan, Bung Mokhtar Radin, greets Bukit Gelugor member of parliament Karpal Singh in Parliament lobby yesterday.

NST (1/5/08): Political maverick Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali (Ind-Pasir Mas) and Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) renewed their mutual dislike of each other.

While Karpal chose to be political in his salvo, Ibrahim got personal and left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

The two took swipes at each other, when Karpal demanded to know the status of the former deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

"He contested under the Pas ticket in the recent elections. How come he sits here as an Independent?" he asked.

Ibrahim shot back and asked Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia why the wheelchair-bound Karpal was allowed to ask questions sitting instead of standing.
Ibrahim Ali's remarks did not go down well with Pakatan Rakyat MPs.

Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) called on the chair to make Ibrahim retract his unparliamentary language.

Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) weighed in and said there was no excuse for the language used by Ibrahim.

Pandikar Amin sidestepped the issue but cautioned members not to use unparliamentary language.

Karpal also continued where he had left off in the 11th parliament with Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan).

Karpal called Bung Moktar "Big Foot creature" and Bung Moktar retaliated by calling Karpal, "Big Monkey".

In the lobby, Karpal said Pas must be responsible for Ibrahim's behaviour. "They made sure he got elected."

But Nasharuddin Mat Isa (Pas-Bachok) said as Ibrahim is an independent MP, he was not bound by Pakatan's whip.

Later, Bung Mokhtar described Karpal as a "good friend".

"I agree that it was unethical for Pasir Mas (Ibrahim) to touch on Karpal's disability."