YBs, please don’t disappoint us - The Star

May 1, 2008 COMMENT BY JOCELINE TAN

Parliament is going to be a different creature from now on if the first round of debate yesterday is any indication.

PARLIAMENT has never been so “happening” as in the past few days. The lobby has been throbbing with life and activity. The corridors have been filled with MPs, the media, political aides and the public.

Various NGOs have also jumped into the fray, arriving with placards promoting their causes. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi sportingly accepted a placard bearing the slogan “Kotakan Kata” (keep your promises) from a gender-equality group.

Another group came with placards calling for the abolition of the ISA.

Forget about finding a place to sit unless one does not mind the floor. People crowded around the TV sets showing the proceedings in the House. The public gallery was so packed that more TVs had to be set up in an adjacent area where many just made themselves comfortable on the carpeted floor.

Even seasoned Parliament reporters admitted they had never seen anything like this in all their years covering parliamentary proceedings. Only the crowds that turn up during the annual tabling of the Budget come close to what they are experiencing the last few days.

Kulim Bandar Baru MP Zulkifli Noordin made a smart choice coming on his big bike because every inch of parking space was taken up. Cars were parked all the way to the main entrance.

Tony Pua (PJ Utara) was spotted making his way to Parliament from the security checkpoint where he had left his car, looking very smart in his suit and tie, but with a knapsack on his back.

And that is the other new thing about the new Parliament. Many of the newer MPs have broken the stereotypical mould of wakil rakyat.

Not only do they blog, but the usual leather briefcases have given way to more functional and trendy shoulder bags and knapsacks.

Lim Guan Eng (Bagan) carried a sleek aluminium briefcase. Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan) may have been hopping mad at being labelled the “bigfoot of Kinabatangan” by Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) but he strode in with a Louis Vuitton sling bag.

One also does not need a fancy car to become an MP. Teo Nie Chin (Serdang) came in a sunny yellow Kelisa.

Yesterday's maiden debate was an indicator of what is to come in the week ahead. It is going to be a closely-matched face-off between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.

In fact, Pakatan Rakyat has a slight edge in terms of numbers – 82 MPs against 77 backbenchers from the Barisan side.

Everyone was keen to make an impact yesterday, especially when the cameras were rolling for the special 30-minute live telecast on RTM, so much so that there was much calling on the Chair for “point of order” during the more chaotic moments.

In fact, “point of order” was the most frequently-used phrase yesterday.

The newer and younger faces will be the most closely watched.

When Chong Chieng Jen (Bandar Kuching) pointed out that a question from a Barisan MP had contravened the House rules because it exceeded 40 words, Khairy Jamaluddin (Rembau) was quick to point out that a question submitted by Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Permatang Pauh) had also exceeded the word limit.

Everyone will have to be on his toes.

But the MP who made everyone sit up and take note was Azmin Ali (Gombak). The PKR vice-president had presence, carried himself with composure and was polite. And he made a good point about the lop-sided number of questions that the Speaker had allocated to both benches.

Outside the House, there seemed to be a press conference or door-stop interview going on at every corner with many of those being interviewed coming from the Opposition bench. The public is intensely curious about this huge influx of Pakatan Rakayt MPs and the reporters know what their readers want.

“The Opposition MPs have different perspectives and quite original things to say about things,” said one reporter.

Even the wives and girlfriends who came on Tuesday attracted media attention.

Meanwhile, there was constant talk of the dawn of a new politics in the country.

But as one senior editor who has been avidly watching developments in Parliament pointed out, much of what he saw at the House was still very reminiscent of old politics.

“All that shouting at each other, the name calling and playing to the gallery – that is not new politics,” he said.

The business of Parliament was not apparent yesterday. Instead, it seemed like politics as usual and that, said the editor, was quite disappointing.

But yesterday was just the first day of debate so our Yang Berhormats have lots of time to prove that they are worthy of the votes that ushered them into Parliament.

So, come on YBs, don't disappoint us.