RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) was subsequently told to leave the lower house for 10 minutes.

The shouting match broke out after Azeez said elephants understood three languages, namely Tamil, Thai and Burmese.

Azeez, who speaks fluent Tamil, said this was based on his own experience where he helped calm down an elephant, named “Awang Bukit Hijau”, so that it could be relocated to Terengganu.

Azeez went on to reveal the conversation he had with “Awang” in Tamil.

This led to Rayer demanding that Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun order Azeez to stop relating his story on the grounds that he had insulted the Tamil language.

The Baling MP, however, shot back, stating that he should be allowed to continue debating the Bill on grounds that he did not interrupt Rayer, even when the latter was “being rude in the Dewan Rakyat”.

“Please don’t disturb me. I’m just relating my experience. If you don’t want to hear (my story) leave (the Dewan).”

Rayer responded by saying that there were a lot of Tamil speakers in Malaysia and Azeez should not be allowed to insult them by claiming he spoke to an elephant in the language.

“It is rude. It is a stupid statement,” he said, before demanding that Azeez retract his statement.

However, Azhar allowed Azeez to continue relating his story and also rebuked Rayer for being like a “rage factory” who could “manufacture anger”.

“Azeez did not insult Tamil. It is his story to tell,” the Speaker said.

When Rayer refused to back down, Azhar ordered him to leave the Dewan Rakyat for 10 minutes.

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