KUALA LUMPUR (May 8, 2008): Thirty angry wheelchair-bound citizens "stormed" Parliament today to demand apologies from Datuk Bung Mokhta Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) and Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Independent-Pasir Mas) for uttering discriminatory statements against Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor).

On Monday, both the BN MPs asked wheelchair-bound Karpal Singh to stand up and show respect to the Speaker.

In a joint statement, the Malaysians Against the Discrimination of the Disabled (Madd) coaliton demanded that discriminatory remarks are stopped in the Dewan Rakyat.

The coalition also demanded that:

> disciplinary action be taken against MPs who break the rule;

> the Persons with Disabilities Act 2007 be amended to sanction those who break the rule;

> MPs should attend to issues involving public transportation, healthcare, education, employment and communications of the handicapped; and

> the parliament be made disabled-friendly.

Ibrahim apologised to the handicapped and said: "I never offended the handicapped as I only had problem with Karpal Singh (who is also wheel chair bound).

"I hope you (all) do not misunderstand. There are groups that politicised the issue and took advantage of you all. Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, I love very much all the disabled people."

Ibrahim said he had also proposed that all the handicapped received a RM500 monthly allowance.

However, when Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut) asked whether he will apologise to Karpal Singh, Ibrahim said he will not and the handicapped booed him.

The coalition representatives then decided not to accept his earlier apology.

Bung Mokhtar who came after Ibrahim refused to answer the same question that Lim posed to Ibrahim. "What wrong did I do?"

"It was never in my mind and heart to discredit or look down on the disabled. In my constituency, I take care of them and build houses for them, but I did not see Bukit Gelugor (Karpal Singh) representing the disabled. As a disabled, he should act like one but his mouth is not like a disabled.

"I did not mean to hurt the disabled, if I am wrong, I apologise," he added.

The memorandum was also handed over to Opposition Leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.