KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Md Nor said today that he sees no issue with opposition members of Parliament wearing white ribbons on their left arms during the ongoing parliamentary sitting.
Ramli said this when the matter was raised by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan).
Bung Mokthar: Speaker, I would like to ask something. I see that the group on that side is wearing white bands, with some being large, some being small, some being long and some being short. Is there a disaster?
Ramli: I take note of what being raised by YB (yang berhormat) and this is my stand and not the speaker (referring to Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul). So long that it (wearing the white ribbons on the arm) does not go against the (lower house) regulations, go ahead.
Bung Moktar: In your view, there is nothing wrong with it?
Ramli: It is not against (the regulations).
Bung Moktar: Thank you, so it can be an example (a precedent) then.
Last week, opposition bloc chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said all Perikatan Nasional (PN) members of Parliament will wear white armbands during the Parliamentary sitting this week.
This, Takiyuddin said, is a sign of protest among the opposition MPs against the decision made by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul over the six parliamentary seats held by former Bersatu members of parliament.
"Riben putih di lengan kiri, sebagai protes berlakunya reformati, spesifik merujuk 49A (white ribbon on the left arm, as a protest against the end of reforms, specifically referring to Article 49A of the Federal Constitution)," said Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah) during the questions for oral answers session yesterday.