A HEATED exchange between government and opposition MPs erupted when a deputy minister was accused of flashing an obscene gesture.
R.S.N. Rayer (PH-Jelutong) alleged that Deputy Plantation Industry and Commodities Minister Willie Mongin had flashed his middle finger after the latter finished delivering his winding-up speech on the proposed allocation for the ministry under the Budget.
Rayer said after Willie had finished his speech, he flashed an obscene gesture at opposition lawmakers, which was witnessed by about 10 of them.
“He showed his middle finger, this is an insult to the MPs, especially the women. Please ask him to apologise.”
Willie denied he made the gesture when Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun asked him for an explanation. “This accusation is not true, if the opposition MPs assume I had made such an act, I am ready to apologise,” he said.
Kasthuri Patto (PH -Batu Kawan) claimed that Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) had witnessed the alleged action by Willie. “You saw it when you asked him to cool down and asked him to calm down,” she said.
Azhar ignored the ongoing commotion and adjourned the sitting for the day.
Willie had engaged in a shouting match with opposition MPs when he explained why the rubber plantation industry was spared from being imposed a windfall tax.
