Tajuddin lashes out at media over ‘Kok row’
THE STAR
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (pic) has responded angrily to media reports on the ruckus that erupted in Parliament over his vulgar reference to Teresa Kok's (DAP-Seputeh) surname.
He accused reporters of bias, saying they had failed to report that he had been called "sial (damned)" by Opposition lawmaker Khalid Samad (Amanah-Shah Alam).
"Do you understand what's the meaning of 'sial'? You don't know. That is why you sided with other people (the Opposition) on petty issues.
"I said Teresa is the only woman with the name Kok. What is wrong with that? It is her surname," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby Tuesday.
He questioned why journalists had not queried Khalid on his use of derogatory words to refer to a fellow MP.
"Why didn't you whack Khalid? Why didn't you ask him why he used the word 'sial' against me? You don't know what 'sial' means, that is why you sided with him," he said.
Tajuddin, who is Pasir Salak MP, also confirmed that he would sue Khalid for repeating his "mentri sial" remarks outside the Dewan Rakyat.
"My lawyer will handle it. By tomorrow (Wednesday), I will serve him a letter of demand.
"I accept the Speaker's decision in the Dewan. But what he (Khalid) repeated outside, saying I am 'sial', there is no way he can escape," he added.
During the row that took place in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday, Tajuddin had made a reference to the Seputeh MP's yellow garb before saying that she was "the only woman with a Kok".
Tajuddin was supposed to reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) but deviated from the topic abruptly when he spotted Kok's yellow garb.
His remarks sparked a furore in the House, with Khalid asking him to apologise and labelling him "menteri sial (damned minister)" when he refused to do so.
Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee later ruled that Tajuddin was only referring to the DAP MP's surname, and concluded that there were no vulgar insinuations.
Only the speaker and his deputies did not understand the hidden meaning of the statement by the Deputy Minister.
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