Ceylon Today Editorial

Yahapalanaya must start from Parliament 

15th October 2015

When good behaviour and etiquette is an expected norm from all, Parliament proves to be an exceptional place where all kinds of behaviour are excused. Cat-calling, rioting, protests and foul language make the order of the day as its Members colour the legislature with vulgar anecdotes and descriptions. Not much has been inspired from this hallowed Chamber of legislature and democracy.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, thus, in a step to bring back discipline and decorum to Parliament took a strong stand against the Members of Parliament this week when he promised civil society members that he would introduce a Code of Conduct for all Parliamentarians.

The Code interestingly has become more like deodorant to a person with bad body odour. Everyone knows the person needs the deodorant except the person himself who is blissfully unaware of the putrid smell emanating from him. Similarly all citizens in the country would like a Code of Conduct for MPs to be established even though the MPs themselves keep resisting such a move.
This is not the first time a Code of Conduct for Parliamentarians has been spoken of. In June 2012, then Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa appointed a committee headed by D.E.W. Gunasekara to prepare a Code of Conduct for Parliamentarians. The incumbent Speaker too was part of this committee. Gunasekara commenting at that time said the committee would look into, "allocating more powers to the Speaker to control the MPs and call on party leaders to play a more active role in controlling legislators in the House".

The code would also control the behaviour of MPs outside Parliament so that they maintain due decorum at all times. More importantly, the code was to amend the law that prevents the public from making a direct complaint against an MP to the Speaker. The committee, however, soon faded away along with its idealistic code.

The next code to be prepared was proposed by the Yahapalanaya government in the 100 day programme. The government which promised a people's revolution for the better, appointed the National Executive Council with the participation of all parties to come up with a new system of governance. This Council too promised to come up with a Code of Conduct and the fiery leader of the JVP, declared that once he was done with it, people would think twice to enter politics. That was in January. Nine months since, the Code of Conduct is still being promised to the people.

Codes of Conduct are generally accepted rules of decorum and practice. If followed, it adds dignity and discipline to the institution of which they are members. In institutions outside Parliament, these codes at times are followed in the form of unwritten rules. For example, not many would decide to sleep in their offices as a mark of protest. Neither would most people take banners of protest to work or scream at their boss in foul language when they disagree with him/her. In Parliament, however, all such unwritten codes have fallen apart and thus if we are to uphold the dignity of our democratic institutions, the MPs need to be more disciplined.

With Parliamentary sessions being open to school children and live telecasts on television, the conduct of Parliamentarians have now become more open to public scrutiny. Thus, the Speaker needs to take strong action, to at least suspend MPs who do not uphold the dignity and decorum of the House even if a Code of Conduct is not there in Parliament.

The MPs in the Opposition too must show due respect to the positions of Prime Minister, Speaker and Leader of the Opposition regardless of whether they disagree or agree with those who hold the respective positions. Uncalled for interruptions too should come to a halt as it cuts into the time of the member on his feet and wastes the valuable time of all. The best example of such uncalled for interruptions, is that of A.H.M. Azwer who called for a 'Point of Order' every time someone rose to make a speech. Parliament should work to curtail the behaviour of MPs, so that no more 'Azwers' thrive in Parliament.

Former Deputy Speaker Gamini Fonseka when in the Chair ordered the then Sergeant-at-Arms, Ronnie Abeysinghe to physically remove the MP for the Nuwara Eliya District at the time, Ananda Dissanayake out of the chamber for defying the orders from the chair. Similarly, several members over the years who have been unruly, have been ordered out of the House by Speakers who took strong action to maintain a certain level of discipline within Parliament.

If President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe are to establish Yahapalanaya or 'Good Governance' in the country, they should start following that practice.

Meanwhile, we hope that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya would be able to make the proposal for a Code of Conduct for MPs a reality this time.