Lo’ Lo’ blows her top over MPs smoking in Parliament
The Star (13/5/08): A woman MP slammed both backbenchers and Opposition members for smoking in the Parliament building.
Dr Lo’ Lo’ Mohamad Ghazali (PAS – Titiwangsa) took everyone by surprise when she stood up to debate the motion of thanks on the royal address to say that she had a huge “culture shock” when the new Parliament session began.
“All the MPs are smoking freely within the premises despite a smoking area being specially prepared for them and this has caused non-smokers to be exposed to smoke containing all kinds of toxins and carcinogenic agents.
“I am talking about both the backbenchers and the Opposition. Under the current government regulations, all government premises are to be smoke-free,” she pointed out, adding that as MPs, they were supposed to be role models.
“This is particularly so when some 50 to 60 teenagers become smokers daily. Malaysians spend an average of RM3mil daily buying cigarettes alone,” said Dr Lo’ Lo’.
Health Ministry officials had previously attempted to enforce the guidelines forbidding smoking within the premises and had even told off some reporters before.
Dr Lo’ Lo’ said the Government should treat nicotine as the country's enemy, and not just drugs.
Later, when debating on the same motion, Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN – Pasir Salak) lightened up the more serious mood in the Dewan when he inadvertently used the wrong Chinese proverb to criticise Khalid Abd Samad (PAS –Shah Alam), whom he had given way to earlier, for “taking more than he deserved” after the latter took the opportunity to bash Umno.
“It’s like the Malay proverb – beri betis nak peha (not satisfied with what one is given). There is also a Chinese proverb – if one leaves him outdoors, he wants to come in.
“When we allow him in, he wants to go in a room, and when he’s in a room, he wants the bed.”
Nga Kar Ming (DAP – Taiping) stood up to tell him that “it’s the wrong proverb”.
Tajuddin also urged the Goverment to “bandar-ise” (urban-ise) rural areas so there would be more jobs in the villages.
Dr Lo’ Lo’ Mohamad Ghazali (PAS – Titiwangsa) took everyone by surprise when she stood up to debate the motion of thanks on the royal address to say that she had a huge “culture shock” when the new Parliament session began.
“All the MPs are smoking freely within the premises despite a smoking area being specially prepared for them and this has caused non-smokers to be exposed to smoke containing all kinds of toxins and carcinogenic agents.
“I am talking about both the backbenchers and the Opposition. Under the current government regulations, all government premises are to be smoke-free,” she pointed out, adding that as MPs, they were supposed to be role models.
“This is particularly so when some 50 to 60 teenagers become smokers daily. Malaysians spend an average of RM3mil daily buying cigarettes alone,” said Dr Lo’ Lo’.
Health Ministry officials had previously attempted to enforce the guidelines forbidding smoking within the premises and had even told off some reporters before.
Dr Lo’ Lo’ said the Government should treat nicotine as the country's enemy, and not just drugs.
Later, when debating on the same motion, Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN – Pasir Salak) lightened up the more serious mood in the Dewan when he inadvertently used the wrong Chinese proverb to criticise Khalid Abd Samad (PAS –Shah Alam), whom he had given way to earlier, for “taking more than he deserved” after the latter took the opportunity to bash Umno.
“It’s like the Malay proverb – beri betis nak peha (not satisfied with what one is given). There is also a Chinese proverb – if one leaves him outdoors, he wants to come in.
“When we allow him in, he wants to go in a room, and when he’s in a room, he wants the bed.”
Nga Kar Ming (DAP – Taiping) stood up to tell him that “it’s the wrong proverb”.
Tajuddin also urged the Goverment to “bandar-ise” (urban-ise) rural areas so there would be more jobs in the villages.
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