PARLIAMENT has approved a motion to refer Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to the rights and privileges Committee over the Apco issue, sparked by his allegation last month that the firm's image building drive for 1Malaysia is similar to a campaign by the Israeli government.
Minister in Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz tabled the motion Thursday morning
The debate saw eight MPs - four each from the Barisan Nasional and the Pakatan Rakyat opposition - giving their views on the matter.
The motion was approved at 3.05pm, without a reply from Nazri.
He had attempted to respond amid objections and interjections from Opposition MPs, who claimed that the motion to refer Anwar was defective.
Both sides argued for 30 minutes.
Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee then proceeded to ask the House whether they agreed to the motion.
The motion was verbally approved by the House.
Cover-up of World Bank scandal
Aside that, former PKR Youth chief Ezam Mohd Noor has said he will share evidence that Anwar was involved in a cover-up of a scandal connected to former World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz later in the evening.
The purported 'evidence' is expected to reveal how the Foundation for the Future, a semi-independent foundation promoting democracy in the Middle East and North Africa that was chaired by Anwar, is connected to Israeli sympathisers in the United States.
Ezam said the evidence was given to him by a Malaysian working at the World Bank who claimed he could no longer stomach Anwar's accustions.
Anwar had alleged in the Dewan Rakyat on March 17 that the 1Malaysia concept mooted by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was actually cloned from the 'One Israel' concept of the Zionist regime - also a client of Apco.
Going further, he also alleged that Malaysia's police force has been infiltrated by Israelis at its headquarters in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.
Since he made the allegations, Anwar's PKR, which is fielding supreme council member Zaid Ibrahim as its candidate in the Hulu Selangor by-election this weekend , has not stopped nudging Najib to make a stand on the issue.
The PKR is staunchly supported by its Pakatan Rakyat allies - the DAP and PAS - in the matter.
Ezam told rerporters on Wednesday he will hand over documents to Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin at a ceramah Thursday night in Hulu Selangor which, he said, would be useful for the hearing of the committee.
The Barisan is also in the Hulu Selangor contest, fielding MIC information chief P Kamalanathan as its candidate.
Wolfowitz and Riza
The Wolfowitz scandal, which broke in 2007, came after the former World Bank promoted his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, in the bank.
Wolfowitz subsequently resigned as the World Bank president..
Riza and the former deputy to US Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, were said to be the brains behind the Foundation for the Future, which elected Anwar to be the chairman in July 2006.
Riza, a Muslim, and Wolfowitz, had been lovers since the days his days in the administration of George W Bush and ahe was said to be the architect of the ex-president's Iraq policy and its most hawkist advocate.
Riza was the World Bank's Senior Communication Officer in the Middle East and North Africa Regional Office (MENA) from 1997 to 2005, before Wolfowitz got into trouble by attempting to promote her with bigger perks and salary in the organisation.
She was then transferred to the US State Department to work under Elizabeth Cheney (daughter of vice-president Dick Chetney), where they worked on promoting democracy in the Middle East and North Africa, forming the Foundation for the Future for the purpose.
In his capacity as chairman of the foundation, Anwar reportedly wrote to World Bank advisor Robin Cleveland to request the transfer of the secondment of Riza, a British citizen, from the Department of State to the Foundation, which she helped to establish.
Anwar defends allegations
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said the Government had yet to reply to his allegations over its relations with Apco Worldwide and Israel.
He said jhe had told the House that he had copies of letters and official documents that the Government had appointed Mindteams Sdn Bhd as a public relations agency before the company was renamed Apco Worldwide.
"There is no statement or explanation by the Prime Minister to debunk these facts. All we heard so far are denials," he said.
At one point, when Anwar said Najib had "kneeled" in front of US president Barrack Obama recently, he was shouted down by Barisan MPs who told him to retract the word.
Anwar retracted the word after he was asked to by Deputy Speaker Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
Anwar said Najib had done something the country had never done - to agree with the United States's wish that Iran should be attacked when there was no actual proof that it was building nuclear weapons.
He added that what was more important was Apco's involvement is shaping the Malaysian government's policies overseas, especially to the US government.
He said the motion against him was also cacat (defective) because it was politically motivated.
Najib not in the House
Earlier, Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR - Gombak) started the ball rolling on the debate.
MPs who spoke after him were Nur Jazlan Mohamed (BN - Pulai), followed by Lim Kit Siang (DAP - Ipoh Timur), Abdul Rahman Dahlan (BN - Kota Belud), Mahfuz Omar (PAS - Pokok Sena) and Khairy (BN - Rembau).
In his speech, Azmin slammed Najib for not turning up in Parliament to explain the Government's connection to Apco and allegations by Anwar there were "Israeli spies" in the country's security forces.
"The absence of the Prime Minister in the House shows that the Government is not taking the issue of national security in a serious manner," he said.
In response, Nur Jazlan said Anwar had often been referred to as the "darling" of the international media and featured on the covers of foreign magazines, especially on Time in 1998.
"He has yet to deliver any good economic measures then. He can do no wrong in the eyes of the international community," he said, adding that the country needed to restore its good image after Anwar used the international media to paint a negative picture after his sacking as Deputy PM.
"The appointment of Apco is to explain the truth to the international community and its work is co-ordinated by the communication department under the Prime Minister's Department without compromising on security of the country,'' said Nur Jazlan.
He added there was no "sinister intention" behind Apco's appointment.
Separation of powers
Lim claimed that the decision to refer Anwar to the committee had also been made by the Cabinet and that this was a violation of the doctorine of the separation of powers.
"What is the business of the Cabinet in interfering in this matter that he (Anwar) should be referred to the Committee?" he asked.
Abdul Rahman said the idea behind the 1Malaysia concept was vastly different from 'One Israel' which, he said, is a political slogan for a coalition of Israeli political parties having different political views.
"The concept of 1Malaysia is a beautiful idea created as a tool to unite Malaysians of all races. 1Malaysia is not about destroying Malaysia, as what the Oppposition MPs have always said," he said.
He also chided the Opposition MPs for accusing the Government of misusing the House to bring down Anwar.
"The Opposition said the Barisan holds the majority in the House. But, did we bring him straight to the Rights and Privileges Committee? "No, we asked the House to allow Permatang Pauh to explain his allegations," he added.
Malaysian Mirror
23/04/10
Minister in Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz tabled the motion Thursday morning
The debate saw eight MPs - four each from the Barisan Nasional and the Pakatan Rakyat opposition - giving their views on the matter.
The motion was approved at 3.05pm, without a reply from Nazri.
He had attempted to respond amid objections and interjections from Opposition MPs, who claimed that the motion to refer Anwar was defective.
Both sides argued for 30 minutes.
Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee then proceeded to ask the House whether they agreed to the motion.
The motion was verbally approved by the House.
Cover-up of World Bank scandal
Aside that, former PKR Youth chief Ezam Mohd Noor has said he will share evidence that Anwar was involved in a cover-up of a scandal connected to former World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz later in the evening.
The purported 'evidence' is expected to reveal how the Foundation for the Future, a semi-independent foundation promoting democracy in the Middle East and North Africa that was chaired by Anwar, is connected to Israeli sympathisers in the United States.
Ezam said the evidence was given to him by a Malaysian working at the World Bank who claimed he could no longer stomach Anwar's accustions.
Anwar had alleged in the Dewan Rakyat on March 17 that the 1Malaysia concept mooted by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was actually cloned from the 'One Israel' concept of the Zionist regime - also a client of Apco.
Going further, he also alleged that Malaysia's police force has been infiltrated by Israelis at its headquarters in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.
Since he made the allegations, Anwar's PKR, which is fielding supreme council member Zaid Ibrahim as its candidate in the Hulu Selangor by-election this weekend , has not stopped nudging Najib to make a stand on the issue.
The PKR is staunchly supported by its Pakatan Rakyat allies - the DAP and PAS - in the matter.
Ezam told rerporters on Wednesday he will hand over documents to Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin at a ceramah Thursday night in Hulu Selangor which, he said, would be useful for the hearing of the committee.
The Barisan is also in the Hulu Selangor contest, fielding MIC information chief P Kamalanathan as its candidate.
Wolfowitz and Riza
The Wolfowitz scandal, which broke in 2007, came after the former World Bank promoted his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, in the bank.
Wolfowitz subsequently resigned as the World Bank president..
Riza and the former deputy to US Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, were said to be the brains behind the Foundation for the Future, which elected Anwar to be the chairman in July 2006.
Riza, a Muslim, and Wolfowitz, had been lovers since the days his days in the administration of George W Bush and ahe was said to be the architect of the ex-president's Iraq policy and its most hawkist advocate.
Riza was the World Bank's Senior Communication Officer in the Middle East and North Africa Regional Office (MENA) from 1997 to 2005, before Wolfowitz got into trouble by attempting to promote her with bigger perks and salary in the organisation.
She was then transferred to the US State Department to work under Elizabeth Cheney (daughter of vice-president Dick Chetney), where they worked on promoting democracy in the Middle East and North Africa, forming the Foundation for the Future for the purpose.
In his capacity as chairman of the foundation, Anwar reportedly wrote to World Bank advisor Robin Cleveland to request the transfer of the secondment of Riza, a British citizen, from the Department of State to the Foundation, which she helped to establish.
Anwar defends allegations
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said the Government had yet to reply to his allegations over its relations with Apco Worldwide and Israel.
He said jhe had told the House that he had copies of letters and official documents that the Government had appointed Mindteams Sdn Bhd as a public relations agency before the company was renamed Apco Worldwide.
"There is no statement or explanation by the Prime Minister to debunk these facts. All we heard so far are denials," he said.
At one point, when Anwar said Najib had "kneeled" in front of US president Barrack Obama recently, he was shouted down by Barisan MPs who told him to retract the word.
Anwar retracted the word after he was asked to by Deputy Speaker Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
Anwar said Najib had done something the country had never done - to agree with the United States's wish that Iran should be attacked when there was no actual proof that it was building nuclear weapons.
He added that what was more important was Apco's involvement is shaping the Malaysian government's policies overseas, especially to the US government.
He said the motion against him was also cacat (defective) because it was politically motivated.
Najib not in the House
Earlier, Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR - Gombak) started the ball rolling on the debate.
MPs who spoke after him were Nur Jazlan Mohamed (BN - Pulai), followed by Lim Kit Siang (DAP - Ipoh Timur), Abdul Rahman Dahlan (BN - Kota Belud), Mahfuz Omar (PAS - Pokok Sena) and Khairy (BN - Rembau).
In his speech, Azmin slammed Najib for not turning up in Parliament to explain the Government's connection to Apco and allegations by Anwar there were "Israeli spies" in the country's security forces.
"The absence of the Prime Minister in the House shows that the Government is not taking the issue of national security in a serious manner," he said.
In response, Nur Jazlan said Anwar had often been referred to as the "darling" of the international media and featured on the covers of foreign magazines, especially on Time in 1998.
"He has yet to deliver any good economic measures then. He can do no wrong in the eyes of the international community," he said, adding that the country needed to restore its good image after Anwar used the international media to paint a negative picture after his sacking as Deputy PM.
"The appointment of Apco is to explain the truth to the international community and its work is co-ordinated by the communication department under the Prime Minister's Department without compromising on security of the country,'' said Nur Jazlan.
He added there was no "sinister intention" behind Apco's appointment.
Separation of powers
Lim claimed that the decision to refer Anwar to the committee had also been made by the Cabinet and that this was a violation of the doctorine of the separation of powers.
"What is the business of the Cabinet in interfering in this matter that he (Anwar) should be referred to the Committee?" he asked.
Abdul Rahman said the idea behind the 1Malaysia concept was vastly different from 'One Israel' which, he said, is a political slogan for a coalition of Israeli political parties having different political views.
"The concept of 1Malaysia is a beautiful idea created as a tool to unite Malaysians of all races. 1Malaysia is not about destroying Malaysia, as what the Oppposition MPs have always said," he said.
He also chided the Opposition MPs for accusing the Government of misusing the House to bring down Anwar.
"The Opposition said the Barisan holds the majority in the House. But, did we bring him straight to the Rights and Privileges Committee? "No, we asked the House to allow Permatang Pauh to explain his allegations," he added.
Malaysian Mirror
23/04/10
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