KUALA LUMPUR: The motion to refer Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to the Rights and Privileges Committee over his "1Malaysia-One Israel" jibe has been passed.
The motion, which was debated since 10am, was passed at about 3.05pm when Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz decided not to extend the winding up session for the motion.
He made the decision after opposition members had frequently 'interrupted' his speech and were calling for the motion to be retracted as it was alleged that the motion was defective.
Following this, Nazri made the decision to conclude his winding up speech which led to another commotion before most of the opposition members walked out of the house.
Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiendie later proceeded with the voting process which saw more members supporting the motion.
The motion suggested that on March 17, 2010, Yang Berhormat Permatang Pauh (Anwar), when participating in the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address by the Yang Dipertuan Agong, had issued a statement, "1999 Satu Israel. 2009 Apco menasihati Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib 1Malaysia" ("1999 One Israel. 2009 Apco advised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib 1Malaysia).
Nazri, when winding up the debate, said the motion tabled could be termed as a charge sheet as in court and not accusing that Anwar was guilty.
"I want to refer Permatang Pauh to the committee, not sentencing, this is my charge sheet, an allegation from the government. I agree with Gombak (Azmin Ali, PKR-Gombak), this (Dewan Rakyat) is not an investigation body. The investigator is the committee.
"I have to come up with the charge, otherwise how to allow the committee to investigate the charge. It must be precise and serious but it does not mean he has been sentenced. Don't worry. There's a possibility that he is not guilty," he said.
Nazri's motion, under Standing Order 36 (12), was supported by Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin. The committee is expected to meet within the next fortnight.
Anwar unperturbed
Earlier, opposition MPs raised various technical arguments and Standing Orders to stop it.
Anwar, who is facing the possibility of being suspended from Parliament, is however unperturbed.
He slammed the government for defending its liaison with Apco.
“You can punish me but you can’t run away from the facts. The Public Accounts Committee has also once before expressed its reservations about Apco,” he said.
He also drew attention to the government’s foreign policy which he said had suddenly changed in direction.
“If it is true that Apco had no influence, then how is it that our foreign policy has suddenly changed? I have never denied my relationship with America but I am firm on the issue of Afghanistan.
“Our policy on Iran shows how weak we are. This has never happened in our history, even Dr Mahathir Mohamad (former prime minister) has never bent on the Afghanistan and Palestinian issues,” said Anwar.
He also touched on his possible suspension during a ceramah in Hulu Selangor last night.
“They may suspend me... I won’t be surprised. They have already hung me, caught me and stripped me, all these to disgrace me so that I will give in to them,” he said.
He added that the BN's extreme actions were aimed at stopping him from revealing the government’s relationship with the Jews and Zionists.
Azmin alleges Apco hand
Meanwhile PKR's Gombak MP Azmin Ali accused Apco as the hand behind BN's move to refer Anwar to the committee.
“Today is historical for Umno-BN. They are now officially slaves to Zionist-Israel and have to defer to Apco’s advice that Anwar is referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee, “ he told Parliament.
Azmin is one of four MPs from Pakatan who debated against the motion to refer Anwar to the committee. Others include DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang and PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar.
“It is obvious that Umno-BN is afraid to face up to Anwar’s truth and the solid evidence he has. This is their way to shut him up,” said Azmin.
He also asked why Anwar was being referred to the committee even before he had disclosed documents to prove his allegations.
Meanwhile Lim called BN parliamentarians “stupid and ugly”. He also queried the Cabinet’s involvement in the issue.
“Why is the Cabinet deciding this? Cabinet interference is a rape of division of powers,” said the Ipoh Timur MP, who also recorded it as ‘a sad day for Parliament'.
FMT
23/04/10
The motion, which was debated since 10am, was passed at about 3.05pm when Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz decided not to extend the winding up session for the motion.
He made the decision after opposition members had frequently 'interrupted' his speech and were calling for the motion to be retracted as it was alleged that the motion was defective.
Following this, Nazri made the decision to conclude his winding up speech which led to another commotion before most of the opposition members walked out of the house.
Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiendie later proceeded with the voting process which saw more members supporting the motion.
The motion suggested that on March 17, 2010, Yang Berhormat Permatang Pauh (Anwar), when participating in the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address by the Yang Dipertuan Agong, had issued a statement, "1999 Satu Israel. 2009 Apco menasihati Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib 1Malaysia" ("1999 One Israel. 2009 Apco advised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib 1Malaysia).
Nazri, when winding up the debate, said the motion tabled could be termed as a charge sheet as in court and not accusing that Anwar was guilty.
"I want to refer Permatang Pauh to the committee, not sentencing, this is my charge sheet, an allegation from the government. I agree with Gombak (Azmin Ali, PKR-Gombak), this (Dewan Rakyat) is not an investigation body. The investigator is the committee.
"I have to come up with the charge, otherwise how to allow the committee to investigate the charge. It must be precise and serious but it does not mean he has been sentenced. Don't worry. There's a possibility that he is not guilty," he said.
Nazri's motion, under Standing Order 36 (12), was supported by Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin. The committee is expected to meet within the next fortnight.
Anwar unperturbed
Earlier, opposition MPs raised various technical arguments and Standing Orders to stop it.
Anwar, who is facing the possibility of being suspended from Parliament, is however unperturbed.
He slammed the government for defending its liaison with Apco.
“You can punish me but you can’t run away from the facts. The Public Accounts Committee has also once before expressed its reservations about Apco,” he said.
He also drew attention to the government’s foreign policy which he said had suddenly changed in direction.
“If it is true that Apco had no influence, then how is it that our foreign policy has suddenly changed? I have never denied my relationship with America but I am firm on the issue of Afghanistan.
“Our policy on Iran shows how weak we are. This has never happened in our history, even Dr Mahathir Mohamad (former prime minister) has never bent on the Afghanistan and Palestinian issues,” said Anwar.
He also touched on his possible suspension during a ceramah in Hulu Selangor last night.
“They may suspend me... I won’t be surprised. They have already hung me, caught me and stripped me, all these to disgrace me so that I will give in to them,” he said.
He added that the BN's extreme actions were aimed at stopping him from revealing the government’s relationship with the Jews and Zionists.
Azmin alleges Apco hand
Meanwhile PKR's Gombak MP Azmin Ali accused Apco as the hand behind BN's move to refer Anwar to the committee.
“Today is historical for Umno-BN. They are now officially slaves to Zionist-Israel and have to defer to Apco’s advice that Anwar is referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee, “ he told Parliament.
Azmin is one of four MPs from Pakatan who debated against the motion to refer Anwar to the committee. Others include DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang and PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar.
“It is obvious that Umno-BN is afraid to face up to Anwar’s truth and the solid evidence he has. This is their way to shut him up,” said Azmin.
He also asked why Anwar was being referred to the committee even before he had disclosed documents to prove his allegations.
Meanwhile Lim called BN parliamentarians “stupid and ugly”. He also queried the Cabinet’s involvement in the issue.
“Why is the Cabinet deciding this? Cabinet interference is a rape of division of powers,” said the Ipoh Timur MP, who also recorded it as ‘a sad day for Parliament'.
FMT
23/04/10
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