Karpal Singh – Page 4 – Peter Tan

Jerai MP’s Remarks Not Okay With Karpal – The Star – October 26, 2007

N E W S

Parliament
Friday October 26, 2007

Jerai MP’s remarks not okay with Karpal

THE term OKU (orang kurang upaya) struck a chord among MPs with wheelchair-bound Karpal Singh (DAP – Bukit Gelugor) asking Datuk Badruddin Amiruldin (BN – Jerai) to retract a statement he made.

“If he doesn’t want to retract it, then I appeal to the Speaker to order him to do so,” said Karpal Singh when debating on the Supply Bill 2008.

On Monday, Karpal Singh said some Barisan MPs did not display proper conduct in the House by uttering disparaging and obscene words.

An irked Badruddin was quick to remind Karpal Singh that he too had used improper words such as binatang (animal) and bodoh (stupid).

“But if you are already having this attitude (calling names) in a wheelchair, then God has shown you. It is your arrogant attitude,” he said.

Yesterday, Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib said the matter had already passed and was part of a debate discussion.

Fong Po Kuan (DAP – Batu Gajah) insisted that the statement should not be brushed aside just because the matter had passed.

“Jerai (Badruddin) must show his regret. This is not the first time. Remember the bocor issue? He should withdraw and apologise,” she said.

Later, Badruddin apologised to the disabled community if he had insulted them.

“I never called him (Karpal Singh) OKU to begin with. It was Batu Gajah (Fong) who said the word.

“I defend OKUs and even invited them to my Hari Raya open house. It is never my intention to insult OKUs and I apologise if I have done so. DAP just wants cheap publicity,” he said.

Badruddin refuses to retract remark: NST – October 26, 2007

NST Online – Local News
2007/10/26
Badruddin refuses to retract remark

Datuk Badruddin Amiruldin (BN-Jerai) says his remark was directed only at Karpal

DATUK Badruddin Amiruldin, who on Monday said Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh was wheelchair-bound because “God has punished you” has refused to retract the remark.
Badruddin’s (BN-Jerai) defence was Karpal had said worse things about backbenchers.

“To all disabled people, if they are hurt by my statement, I am sorry. It was not my intention to insult them. I did not mention the disabled, I only referred to Karpal who is in a wheelchair,” he said when debating Budget 2008.

He blamed the DAP’s Batu Gajah MP, Fong Po Kuan, for the furore, adding “she has twisted my words and said I was referring to the disabled”.

Later he told the New Straits Times: “Karpal wants us to respect him; he should respect others in the first place.”
Karpal yesterday asked Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib to direct Badruddin to retract the remark and apologise. He waved a copy of the New Straits Times which had published three letters from representatives of disabled organisations criticising Badruddin’s choice of words against him and its connotation to those who were disabled.

However, Ramli declined to order Badruddin to apologise or retract the statement and said the matter should have been raised on Monday.

Nonetheless, Ramli regretted the incident and urged MPs to refrain from such language against each other.

Chong Eng (DAP-Bukit Mertajam) stood up and said she was disappointed with Bad-ruddin and asked: “Do you respect the disabled?”

Badruddin retorted that he was equally disappointed with the DAP and a shouting match ensued. Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said later that Badruddin would be referred to the committee of privileges.

Wheelchair remark: Retract that statement: Letters To The Editor – NST – October 25, 2007:

NST Online – Letters
2007/10/25
Wheelchair remark: Retract that statement
By : PETER TAN for Independent Living Programme for People with Disabilities Kuala Lumpur

AS a wheelchair user for the last 23 years, I am absolutely upset with Jerai member of parliament Datuk Badruddin Amiruldin for telling fellow-MP Karpal Singh that the latter’s use of a wheelchair is a punishment from God (“Kar-pal: Lawyer wrote part of judgment for civil suit” — NST, Oct 23).
Badruddin’s remark is an affront to all wheelchair users, implying that our condition is a punishment and that we are all sinners.

I have been using a wheelchair long enough to have experienced many times such drivel from holier-than-thou people. People must be educated that being disabled is one of the things that can happen to anybody. People can become disabled. People can become afflicted with diseases. It is part of life.

Perhaps Badruddin seldom meets wheelchair users. As an MP, he should turun padang and meet his electorate to realise that they include disabled people, some of whom are wheelchair users.

He should be working towards empowering disabled people instead of insulting us. After all, he was elected to serve the people and not otherwise.
I call on Badruddin to retract that statement and apologise to all wheelchair users and the disabled community for such an insensitive remark. It does not matter if he was targeting Karpal.

His utterance smacked of insensitivity and ignorance and has insulted the dignity of all wheelchair users.

Uncalled for

THE Society of the Orthopaedically Disabled Malaysia is disappointed with the statement made by Badruddin that the disabled in wheelchairs have been punished by God. The statement was uncalled for.

By ASSOC PROF DR TIUN LING TAfor Society of the Orthopaedically Disabled

THE Malaysian Spinal Injuries Association is outraged at the offensive remark made by Badruddin during the parliamentary session on Oct 22. Referring to MP Karpal Singh, he said: “You are no better calling us (BN MPs) animals. You insult people. Now you are in a wheelchair. God has punished you.”

Disability is not a punishment from God. Badruddin reveals his insensitivity and ignorance in making such a statement. The lack of dignity and decorum shown by several MPs during parliamentary debates recently is appalling.

Instead of abusive personal attacks on fellow MPs, they should focus on fulfilling their responsibilities to their electorate.

By BATHMAVATHI KRISHNAN for Malaysian Spinal Injuries Association