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KUALA LUMPUR: An opposition MP today claimed that Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin showed his middle finger twice at the Dewan Rakyat.
This incident allegedly took place minutes before the 2021 budget vote of the ministry of plantations, industries and commodities at the committee stage.
Mongin, the deputy minister, had previously read the closing speech on behalf of the ministry.
Kasthuri Patto (PH-Batu Kawan) told spokesperson Azhar Azizan Harun that Mongin had shown the middle finger.
“(He showed) his middle finger … Puncak Borneo,” he said as the microphones immediately silenced to usher in the voting process.
Later, he claimed that he had made the gesture twice. It was endorsed by RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) who said the gesture was disrespectful to women.
Mongin, however, said it was not true, but added: “If it happened, I am ready to apologize.” Video footage of the proceedings shows Mongin making a hand gesture, but it was unclear what he was doing.
During the vote, opposition MPs shouted “pengkhianat” (traitor) several times, apparently at Mongin, a former PKR MP. A total of 108 deputies supported the ministry’s budget, while 95 voted against the budget. Another 17 deputies were absent.
Earlier, Vice President Rashid Hasnon said that Shabudin Yahaya (BN-Tasek Gelugor) had informed him that the latter had wrongly included Nazri Aziz (BN-Padang Rengas) in the list of those who supported the budget of the Ministry of Finance at the stage of the committee. Nazri was not present during the vote.
