KUCHING, Feb 21: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen has hit back at Kapar MP Dr Halimah Ali for claiming that low-quality food could risk people being exposed to conditions such as autism and said she needed to retract and clarify the statement and apologise.
“I have officially written to the Speaker of the House, Datuk Johari Abdul, to table a motion to refer her (Dr Halimah) to the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges under Standing Order 36(12) for making a clear statement that has misled the House and is deemed to be in contempt of the House on Feb 14, 2023,” he said in a statement today.
Autism, he said, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects an individual’s social interaction, communication, and behaviour.
“It is a complex and lifelong condition, and while the exact causes are not yet fully understood, there is no evidence to suggest that poor diet or bad food causes autism,” he added.
He went on to say that as an MP and a member of the medical fraternity, Dr Halimah must be mindful of her words and not feed unproven conspiracies or pseudo-science arguments.
“Her statement gives the wrong impression to the public, further causing immense stigma and belief that autism is caused by poor care and determined by your income level,” he said.
The Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) chief pointed out that Dr Halimah had been given many opportunities to apologise and withdraw her statement, which drew criticism, including from the Autism Inclusiveness Direct Action Group (Aida), but has continued to deny it.
“However, a Hansard on Feb 14, 2023, including a video recording of Parliament, clearly shows that such a statement was spoken in the House. Evidence of such was also furnished to the Speaker for further action.
“Therefore, to ensure that each parliamentarian is held to the highest standard of accountability in our speech and deed, I urge the Speaker to approve the motion that was submitted in the House to refer the Member of Parliament Kapar to the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges in accordance with Parliamentary SO 36(12),” he said.
It was reported that during a parliamentary debate, Dr Halimah claimed that eating Menu Rahmah dishes could cause various diseases and health conditions due to the use of low-quality ingredients.
Menu Rahmah is an initiative by the federal government to provide affordable meals. — DayakDaily
