Parliament on TV, remember? Let me jolt your memory.

After months of ding-dong, we got a big NO from the Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin. Reason? Listen carefully and read out loud.

Racist Malaysian viewers are not ready for live parliamentary proceedings. […]

This is because most Malaysians still think from a racial point of view. […]

It was not time yet to have live broadcasts because Malaysians still have a ‘third world mentality’.

"We have not reached an intellectual stage where Malaysians can carry the wisdom of being able to agree to disagree," he added.

All the while, the quality of debate over the parliament sessions were questioned by the media and public. We have a bunch of lawmakers puking fun on various rubbish kind of topics, part of the reasons that caused the Government to prolong the decision on airing the parliament proceedings live, citing high cost, audience rating and racial sensitivity as reasons for rejecting the proposal.

Back in 2004, Minister in the Prime Minister Department Nazri Aziz, who oversea who oversees parliamentary affairs, said live telecasts of Parliament sittings would bring more negative consequences than positive outcomes.

However, there was a tragic U-turn during the early of 2006, when he spoke in favor of putting parliament live on TV, so that to get more people to follow what goes on in Parliament. A few BN MPs too, agreed with the idea to keep MPs and ministers on their toes.

But now, out of nowhere, the finger has been pointed on us, we Malaysians for being racist and not ready to take live parliamentary proceedings?

Minister ZAM, let me tell you what, don’t bark at the wrong tree, it’s the headless some that you need to question, not us!

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