PETALING JAYA: DAP has voiced its suspicions over certain clauses and the timing of the controversial Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Bill.
When the Bill was first tabled in August last year, it was just before Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial was to be mentioned in court.
Amid heavy criticism even from Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers, it was withdrawn but with the de facto PKR leader's case to be heard in the Kuala Lumpur High Court next month, the Bill has been revived but without any amendments, leading DAP to question the coincidental timing.
"The DNA Bill was debated under a certificate of urgency as a matter of public interest but it seems public interest has changed and was not pursued. But now, 10 months later, it is back on the agenda," said DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang.
DAP legal advisor Gobind Singh Deo cited two clauses which were faulty and said that it was done so simply to allow old samples of Anwar's DNA, extracted from his first sodomy trial 11 years ago, to be used to seek conviction in the Sodomy II trial.
The Bill allows any existing DNA data held by the police to be deemed as part of a legitimate databank once the Act comes into operation.
Further, it also states that "any information from the DNA databank shall be admissible as a conclusive proof of the DNA identification in any proceedings in any court."
"But it was proven that the samples from 1998 sodomy trial were contaminated. But this Bill may end up legitimising any previous data. So is this being passed simply to obtain conviction in Anwar's case?" the Puchong MP said.
Gobind added that the court should be given discretion on whether any DNA evidence brought before it is conclusive.
Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching will table a motion to seek amendments to the above clauses, and told reporters today that DNA evidence in other developed countries was only used as corroborative evidence and not conclusive evidence.
"In the US, UK and Australia, many convictions were overturned as they found that the tests were faulty," she said.
MI
19/06/09
When the Bill was first tabled in August last year, it was just before Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial was to be mentioned in court.
Amid heavy criticism even from Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers, it was withdrawn but with the de facto PKR leader's case to be heard in the Kuala Lumpur High Court next month, the Bill has been revived but without any amendments, leading DAP to question the coincidental timing.
"The DNA Bill was debated under a certificate of urgency as a matter of public interest but it seems public interest has changed and was not pursued. But now, 10 months later, it is back on the agenda," said DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang.
DAP legal advisor Gobind Singh Deo cited two clauses which were faulty and said that it was done so simply to allow old samples of Anwar's DNA, extracted from his first sodomy trial 11 years ago, to be used to seek conviction in the Sodomy II trial.
The Bill allows any existing DNA data held by the police to be deemed as part of a legitimate databank once the Act comes into operation.
Further, it also states that "any information from the DNA databank shall be admissible as a conclusive proof of the DNA identification in any proceedings in any court."
"But it was proven that the samples from 1998 sodomy trial were contaminated. But this Bill may end up legitimising any previous data. So is this being passed simply to obtain conviction in Anwar's case?" the Puchong MP said.
Gobind added that the court should be given discretion on whether any DNA evidence brought before it is conclusive.
Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching will table a motion to seek amendments to the above clauses, and told reporters today that DNA evidence in other developed countries was only used as corroborative evidence and not conclusive evidence.
"In the US, UK and Australia, many convictions were overturned as they found that the tests were faulty," she said.
MI
19/06/09
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