YB. R.S.N RAYER - A.D.U.N. SERI DELIMA, PENANG

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians are in full support of the live telecast of parliamentary proceedings and are calling for longer footage of the sessions.
Having it shown live on TV has spiced things up for consultant quantity surveyor Alan Teng.

“Before this, we only got glimpses of what went on in Parliament from the newspapers. Now, it is more interesting as we can watch the action live,” said the 58-year-old Teng.
“We can see who misbehaves and who is doing his job. Who asks what question, who answers and how; that is what the people want to know.”

Charlie Chan, 38, expects the live broadcast to improve Malaysia’s standard of democracy by making the sessions more accessible to the public.
“Showing it live will affect not only the way people think about Parliament but also the transparency and accountability of the MPs,” the restaurant employee from Kuala Lumpur said.
Ramesh Murthi, 43, a businessman from Puchong, agrees that live telecast is the only way to keep tabs on MPs. “Now the MPs will have to be more responsible and more prepared for the debates,” he said.
Businessman Hamdan Abd Aziz, 56, applauds that the people can now directly observe from home but is dissatisfied that it is only partially telecast.

“Much of the short telecast was wasted on debating technicalities while matters relating to the people were barely discussed,” the businessman from Kuala Lumpur said.
“Showing only 30 minutes is not enough. To fulfil the function of the live telecast, footage from start to end should be broadcast. If it is two hours long, then show all two hours of it.”

A 60-year-old man, who wanted to be known only as Wu, said the live telecast was long overdue. “The people will know who they have voted for. The MPs will have to put in their best and really work, not just pretend to work,” the pharmacist said.
He added that he would install a TV in his pharmacy if there was an entire channel dedicated to happenings in the House.

Insurance agent Lipson Ooi, 31, of Kota Damansara, will follow the telecasts in order to learn more about Parliament.
“The live telecast will enhance the political knowledge of the people,” he said.