MALAYSIAN'S ANWAR TO FACE PARLIAMENTARY RIGHTS PANEL

OPPOSITION Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will have to face the Committee of Rights and Privileges over his 1Malaysia-One Israel accusation, but not before MPs, especially from the Opposition bloc, shouted their objections over the “flawed motion” at every opportune moment in the three-hour debate.
Things got so noisy that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz ended his reply to points raised during the debate of the motion to refer Anwar to the all-powerful committee.

• At one point, Nazri even told the Opposition: “If you want to find a reason to walk out, find something else (as the reason to do so).”
• Anwar’s supporters kept shouting and interrupting Nazri, saying that the motion was defective and this went on for 30 minutes after lunch. The House had been debating the motion since 10am.
• A flustered Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee said since no one wanted to listen to Nazri, they might as well get on with the voting on the motion. The motion was approved after a loud “Setuju!” from backbenchers.
• Many from the Opposition bloc left the Dewan right after that, saying they would not support a “flawed motion”.
• Outside the Dewan, Nazri said the motion against Anwar was like a charge in court.
• “This is the allegation from the Government and Anwar will have to defend himself before the committee. The committee will hear him out before deciding whether there will be a punishment to be meted out,” he told reporters.
• Earlier, when Nazri tabled the motion, several Opposition MPs including Gobind Singh Deo (DAP–Puchong), R. Sivarasa (PKR–Subang) and N. Gobalakrishnan (PKR–Padang Serai) stood to object.
• At the lobby after the walkout, Anwar, the Permatang Pauh MP, pointed out that the wording in the motion seemed to insist that the committee had to recommend to the House the punishment he had to face, instead of first ascertaining if he was right or wrong in making the allegations.
• The motion reads: “On March 17, while debating the Royal Address, Permatang Pauh had said 1999 OneIsrael. 2009 Apco advise Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib 1Malaysia. The statement has misled the House with serious allegations abusing the rights and privileges as an MP which is also in contempt of the House. For that, Permatang Pauh should be referred to the Committee of Rights and Privileges and the committee to mete out appropriate punishment on him.”

Source: mStar