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Media Statement (3)     
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Petaling Jaya, Sunday) : The Dewan Rakyat  House Committee under the chairmanship of the Speaker should come out of its hibernation and hold an emergency meeting to take ownership of the many deplorable problems of Parliament House to address and resolve them. 

There is a proposal that the Public Works Department should be responsible for the maintenance of Parliament House. This seems to be a sensible proposal but the decision should first be made by the House Committee which is responsible for ensuring that MPs enjoy proper facilities to enable to function properly, before the matter is taken to the Cabinet for endorsement. 

Cabinet Ministers must learn to understand the meaning of parliamentary autonomy and independence as well as the doctrine of separation of powers among the Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary. 

Works Minister, Datuk Seri Samy Vellu said that the PWD had carried out a lot of repairs on the building but there was recurring damage owing to absence of maintenance.

For instance, he said, each time the clothes hangers on the toilet doors were replaced, they went missing.

This is indeed most shameful, as it is most unthinkable that such gross indiscipline and thievery should be so rife in Parliament House, which should be the heart of a national campaign to fulfill the dream of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi  to have “First World Infrastructure, First World Mentality” in Malaysia. 

But what should be a matter of grave concern is that Samy Vellu’s revelation of such gross indiscipline and rife thievery is news to everyone, as this is the first time I am hearing it, and clearly the House Committee of Dewan Rakyat knows nothing about it as it had not met at all for such a report to be presented. 

If there is such gross indiscipline and rife thievery as to damage the facilities meant for MPs, then this should be the first task of  the Dewan Rakyat  House Committee to restore minimum discipline in Parliament. 

Apart from leaking roof, the Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah has expressed a new fear over the electrical wiring which could result in a short-circuit and Parliament House catching fire. 

If such a worst scenario should happen, with Parliament on fire, it would indeed be international news which is “Shame of Shame” for the Malaysian Parliament. 

The House Committee of the Dewan Rakyat must meet next week itself to present a comprehensive report to Parliament when it reconvenes on June 18 as to what is actually wrong with the Parliament Building and what is being done about it.                    

(20/5/2007)