Takiyuddin's munafik remark sparks 10-minute row in Dewan Rakyat, Speaker to check Hansard

Proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat turned heated on Monday, 19 October 2026, when government and opposition MPs traded words for nearly 10 minutes over the word "munafik" (hypocrite), allegedly directed at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Speaker Johari Abdul said he will check the Hansard and decide tomorrow, Malay Mail and FMT reported.

What happened in the House

The row began while Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu), Perikatan Nasional's chief whip, was debating the Supply Bill 2027. According to Malay Mail, citing Berita Harian, he cited a hadith listing the traits of a munafik, then referred to the word waad (promise) that Anwar used in his Budget 2027 speech.

RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) rose to object under the Standing Orders. FMT reported him as saying Takiyuddin translated the hadith using the words "munafik" and "hypocrite", which he said were aimed at Anwar and the budget. He called it excessive.

"It is an offence for MPs to use offensive language. I heard him cite a verse from the Quran, followed by the word 'munafik' directed at the prime minister, and we just let it pass?" Rayer was quoted as saying by Malay Mail. He also asked why Deputy Speaker Alice Lau Kiong Yieng let Takiyuddin carry on without stepping in.

Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) insisted Rayer had misunderstood Takiyuddin. Berita Harian, as quoted by Malay Mail, reported that Lau eventually halted Takiyuddin's speech and advised Rayer to file a formal motion with the Speaker's office for further action.

The reports cited here do not carry Takiyuddin's own response to the objection.

What the Speaker said

Johari later reminded MPs to uphold good conduct and take care with religious terms that can cause misunderstanding and drawn-out disputes, FMT reported.

He said a word like munafik may seem ordinary to people with deep religious knowledge, but can worry those who understand it less, including non-Muslims and MPs from Sabah and Sarawak.

"I'm not from a religious school, I'm from an English school, and I'm very afraid of using words with weighty meanings that I may not understand. If someone accuses me of being munafik, I go home with a fever," he said.

He suggested MPs use non-controversial words so debates do not drag on and sitting time goes to people's problems. Johari said he was not in the chamber during the debate and had not heard the remarks himself, so he would check the Hansard before deciding the matter the next day.

What happens next

The Speaker's decision is expected on Tuesday, 20 October. The policy-stage debate on Budget 2027 is still running in the Dewan Rakyat, with ministerial winding-up scheduled for 26 to 29 October. Either side may return to the issue if the Hansard shows the exact words used.

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Sources

• Malay Mail, Ten-minute war of words in Dewan Rakyat over Takiyuddin's 'munafik' remark, 19 October 2026
• FMT, Speaker ingatkan Ahli Parlimen jaga akhlak, elak istilah kontroversi, 19 October 2026