How Not to Lose Our Country!

Page 12 in The Star July 12,2005 featured a "disturbing" report from the august House, headed:
Uproar over definition of Malaysia as an 'Islamic state'

A debate over the defintion of Malaysia as an Islamic state became heated when a backbencher suggested that DAP MPs "leave the country if they are unhappy about it."
There was a big commotion when Datuk Badarudddin Amiruddin (BN-Jerai) tolf off Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) who insisted that Malaysia was a secular state.
"If you don't like it (the definition), you can get out of the country..." said Badaruddin when winding up the debate on the Syariah Court Evidence (Federal Territories) (Amendment) Bill.
Other DAP MPs reacted angrily to the remark, asking Badaruddin to retract his statement.
Chow Kon Yeow (DAP - Tanjong) stood to table a motion asking Deputy Speaker Lim Si Cheng to refer Badarudding to the Privileges Committee which was later voted against by most MPs.

Desiderata: With MPs like that one from Jerai, it's little wonder that many fellow Malaysians like me are wondering aloud: How Not to Lose Our Country! (read Desiderata2000's posts in a series of 4 parts (June 29 - July 2, 2005)

I also wonder if our Prime Minister, whose sense of fair play and decency I admire, would give MPs like Badaruddin a five-minute lecture on civil behaviour and the qualities of leadership, just as he did to the "failure" of a former Chief Minister of Sabah recently for being brought to court of a RM7.1million gambling debt incurred at a casino in London.

Meanwhile, Malaysia, oh Malaysia, I continue to weep for thee...


PS: This is my SECOND edition, uploaded about 8 hours after the first. The first had a title with a QUESTION MARK, i.e How Not to Lose Our Country?

After seven hours of sound sleep, I edited to the present version, mainly replacing the quesion mark with an EXCLAMATION! Hope ye see my point, so very important since is was no more any doubt, I've come to a firm conclusion about those d...., b....MPs! Have you?