Bung reacts furiously over the protest at his house

KUALA LUMPUR - Umno MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar reacted furiously Wednesday while attempting to seek a reprimand of a rival lawmaker for leading a protest against him that allegedly trespassed into his home.

Bung was demanding for Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin be referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee over the protest against his allegedly "sexist" remark about her, but became incensed when other lawmakers came to her defence.

"You shut up! Bangsat (bastard)! If you are a man all of you can meet me outside! Come on!" Bung shouted at rival MPs.

Before that, Bung said he had no qualms if Zuraida had organised the protest against him outside Parliament, but said she overstepped bounds by holding the protest at his house.

"If you want to protest, let it end here. But you went to my house and they trespassed. Lucky I was not there, because if I was, someone would be dead!"

"Don't you dare mess with my family, when you come to my home and disturb my family, its personal!" Bung said.

Bung was eventually pacified by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Mulia Amin who then reminded all the MPs present that the potential for tempers to flare was high if they continue to use personal attacks instead of debating policies professionally.

Pandikar refused to refer Zuraida to the disciplinary committee, ruling the dispute between the two MPs resolved since he had already reprimanded all MPs on their lack of professionalism.

Speaking to reporters outside the Dewan Rakyat, a visibly upset Bung said Zuraida was rude and low-class for holding the protest at his house.

"I am disappointed by the behaviour of Ampang," he said, referring to her by her seat.

"She often claims to be of high dignity, of high self-respect, but her actions says otherwise. To me her action was rude, uncivilised," he added.

Bung also warned Zuraida not to repeat her actions, saying he cannot promise that his supporters would not retaliate and this could result in "something untoward".

"I have supporters too and what if they decided to retaliate and do protests at their houses then something untoward may happen."

The Sabahan also insisted that what he said to Zuraida last week was not sexist, and that he was only "advising" the Ampang MP as she was making a baseless allegation against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Zuraida was said to have accused Permata, a child-care centre for gifted kids run by Rosmah, of being mismanaged. "All I said was if this is her behaviour outside (of her house), condemning people, then I pity your husband… what is sexist about that?" Bung asked.

Asked if this meant he felt women should not be aggressive when debating, Bung said: "You can be aggressive. But not condemn people aggressively".