Lawmakers in Malaysia

I hope PKR leaders can stand on their own and be themselves to serve the people.

MPs like YB Loh Gwo Burne should speak up more often instead like YB Azmin Ali.

Do you know that lawmakers in Japan speak Japanese, lawmakers in Thailand speak Thai? And the list goes on and on. They speak their national language of their respective countries.

In Malaysia, when the official language used in the Parliament is Bahasa Malaysia, how can an MP best serve the constituents of Malaysia?

At times I wonder what sort of Malaysia the Opposition wants. Do they want a Malaysian Malaysia or an English Malaysia?

I always have a preference for a united Malaysian community. But with that agenda, to emulate the Americans, the Thais and the Japanese, we need to respect the Constitution of Malaysia and uphold our national language, Bahasa Malaysia.

From Malaysiakini, an excerpt from the interview with YB Loh after the elections :

Have you started Bahasa Malaysia lessons yet?

I think I’m starting tomorrow. I can understand Malay, I’m just not very good at it. I can go the stall and buy stuff, order food in a mamak stall. I can actually converse and understand basic Malay. But if you’re asking me to give speeches, that’s totally different.

Right now it’s seriously touch and go so I need to get my Bahasa up to speed. Hopefully in a month’s time I can at least manage (the language).

My plan is to get somebody to teach me and another person to follow me around and talk to people with me. So hopefully that would push me along much faster. I think anybody can do basic Malay but doing the oratory stuff in Parliament or on stage is the problem.

We used to laugh at BN for choosing candidates with fake degrees, low qualifications and poor records of integrity.

Perhaps in future, PR should really consider their candidates well. That way, the people will be confident of who to vote for.

BN is already fielding strong candidates. Look at Ipoh Timur in the recent elections. There were voters on the ground who were surprised with the candidate, Dr Liew Mun Hon.

People were chatting about his qualifications but unfortunately, Dr Liew was up against YB Lim Kit Siang. The results of the Ipoh Timur election was already "known" before the people voted.

Nevertheless, the folks in Ipoh were "impressed" with such a highly qualified candidate from Barisan Nasional.

Note that I am not questioning YB Loh's qualifications because he has a law degree from London and a postgraduate recognition in law also from a University in China.

I am merely worried about the trend of support for politicians in Malaysia who are not capable of speaking the language used in Parliament of Malaysia.

Pakatan Rakyat should perhaps reconsider the seat of YB Loh, unless of course his "kelas malam" for BM is producing results.