Nga demands apology from KJ as 'Taliban' saga spills out of Dewan Rakyat

Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Nga Kor Ming, who had reprimanded Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin for calling him a "Taliban," wants Khairy to apologise to Parliament despite his retraction of the insult.

After the Dewan Rakyat break today, Nga issued a statement chastising Khairy.

"Even though he was forced to comply with the speaker's instruction to retract the 'Taliban' accusation, his inappropriate action had tarnished the august image of the Dewan Rakyat.

"This is the first time in the history of Parliament where an MP had been so insolent to call the speaker 'Taliban'.

"In defence of the dignity of the parliamentary institution, Khairy should immediately apologise. Failure to do so would reflect on his character as an MP, and Rembau voters should reprimand him for his inappropriate action," his statement read.

Khairy had taken the swipe against Nga in the Dewan Rakyat earlier today after being asked to make his question to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng clearer.

"Do you have a comprehension problem, Taliban?" he asked.

Read more: Do you have a comprehension problem, Taliban? KJ mocks deputy speaker

Nga subsequently demanded that the BN lawmaker retract his statement. Khairy agreed to do so, but not without continuing to ridicule the deputy speaker's level of comprehension.

"I retract – do you have a comprehension problem, speaker?" he said.

Khairy appeared to be referring to Nga's remark at an event in Taiping, where he claimed that Malaysia could turn into a Taliban state were an Umno-PAS alliance to come into power.

Although Nga made the remark in his capacity as Teluk Intan MP, the fallout was also felt within the walls of the Dewan.

Opposition leaders had threatened to hold a rally if Nga did not apologise for the 'Taliban' remark, but the DAP lawmaker has refused to give in.

Former minister Zaid Ibrahim, meanwhile, lamented the lack of action against Khairy.

"Khairy mocks and ridicules the chair, a serious breach of parliamentary rules, and nothing happens to him.

"Had it been someone unknown, he would have been thrown out. This is symptomatic of our country – severity of punishment depends on your station in life," he said.