"I did not call him a monkey. I said he was behaving like a monkey."

Prime Minister’s Department Datuk M. Kayveas


So, if someone says you're behaving like a monkey, it doesn't mean he is calling you a monkey?

I'm perplex! This is new to me. Only monkeys behave like a monkey!

Is this Modern English? or Manglish?

Malaysian Parliamentarians gave six visiting European Parliamentarians something to watch and to bring back to Europe when they witness the Dewan Rakyat session and in the words of NST, they watch a "circus" show from our Parliamentarians' performance.

The show began when Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk M. Kayveas responded to a supplementary question from Fong Po Kuan asking the deputy minister Kayveas what was the longest delayed case in court, to which Kayveas replied that there were some isolated incidents where cases had been delayed from five to 15 years. Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang then told Kayveas that he should come clean and tell the House that he did not know the answer. An annoyed Kayveas says Lim was "behaving like a monkey“.

Fong Poh Kuan moved a motion to refer Kayveas to the Committee on Rights and Privileges for using uncouth language and calling MPs "monkeys". Kayveas then explained: "I did not call him a monkey. I said he was behaving like a monkey."

As Kayveas resumed, he was interrupted repeatedly by Lim and Fong who demanded that he retract his words.

At this point Kayveas said, "You see, there is a monkey in front and one in the back," pointing to both.

Ramli told Kayveas to withdraw his statement. The deputy minister then withdrew his statement.