COMPLAINT BY THE MEMBER FOR ANSON

Mr Jeyaretnam: Sir, I rise on a point of order.

Mr Speaker: What is your point of order, Mr Jeyaretnam?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, it relates to proceedings in this House and what was said by the hon. Member for Khe Bong.

Mr Speaker: When was that? Was it just now?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Not just now, Mr Speaker. It relates to what the Member said on the 24th March 1982.

Mr Speaker: This is a funny way of raising a point of order at this time of the day, on a matter that happened months ago, is it not?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Yes, but we have had no other Sitting of Parliament. When I raised it, Mr Speaker, Sir, you said that I should wait until the Hansard reports were out before raising it. Now we have the Hansard reports. I ask permission to raise this now.

Mr Speaker: The Member for Khe Bong is not here.

Mr Jeyaretnam: I cannot help that, Mr Speaker, Sir.

Mr Speaker: He is not here to defend himself. That is not cricket, is it?

Mr Jeyaretnam: No, it is not. Perhaps if the bells were rung, he might come in.

Mr Speaker: Could you let me know and perhaps we will put it on the Order Paper for the next sitting?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Do you want to know what it is about now?

Mr Speaker: I can imagine what it is all about.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Speaking on the 24th March, I have been vilified in this House by the hon. Member who accused me of lying and who sort of rolled his eyes to the press and said to the effect, "You know, look at this man who is lying."

Mr Speaker: Did he say that?

Mr Jeyaretnam: I want to show that I was not lying at all.

Mr Speaker: Was it reported in the Hansard that he called you a liar?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Yes.

Mr Speaker: Which volume are you talking about?

Mr Jeyaretnam: It is Vol. 41, No. 16, dated 24th March 1982.

Mr Speaker: Which column?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Col. 1515. The hon. Member speaking, after you, Mr Speaker, asked him to show the relevance of his remarks, said:

'But before I could explain the relevancy, I was interrupted by the Member for Anson, who stood up and denied that he had ever said anything about supplying me with such a list.

Sir, the Member for Anson has realized that he was trapped by his own stupidity and arrogance by offering to supply me with the list and has now turned and twisted his own words by saying that what he meant was to invite me to examine the list in his office. Sir, he has eaten back his words, and this is not the first time. When he encountered our Prime Minister the first time, this was what the Prime Minister described of the man: "the unseemly, disgusting . . ." Then you, Sir, said:

'Mr Ho, what has that got to do with this particular subhead?'

And then he went on:

'Since he has eaten back his words, I do not intend to argue with him further on this issue, but I wish to [this is where I am complaining of, Mr Speaker, Sir,] invite the hon. Members in this House, including the Member for Anson and the Press in the Gallery [this is where he rolled his eyes to the Press] to read the Hansard of last Friday's sitting on 19th March, 1982, as well as the Sitting yesterday, in order to testify who is lying and who is telling the truth.'

So there was a clear indication that I was lying.

Mr Speaker: As I have said, the hon. Member for Khe Bong is not here.

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I raise this matter at the next Sitting then?

Mr Barker rose -

Mr Speaker: Yes, Mr Barker. What have you got to say?

Mr Barker: Sir, on a point of order. We have come to the end of our day's business and this is not the time for the Member to raise his point.

Mr Speaker: Apparently, Mr Jeyaretnam, you could have raised it on the 24th of March.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Yes. As I was saying, if you look further at column 1518, when I tried to raise it, you said:

'Perhaps you had better look at the Hansards of the sittings that the Member was talking about, Mr Jeyaretnam.'

So I accepted your ruling then and did not proceed any further. Now I have got the Hansards and this is the first opportunity I have.

Mr Speaker: We will take note of that. Since the hon. Member for Khe Bong is not here, I think it is time for us to adjourn.

Mr Jeyaretnam: I accept your ruling, Sir.