MP summoned by police: Speaker asked to intervene

KUALA LUMPUR: Several opposition MPs yesterday asked Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun to intervene in the issue of Sepanggar MP Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman being called up by the police over a speech he made in the Parliament recently.

The matter was raised by Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan) shortly after the question and answer session under the Standing Order 36(10) on the contents of speeches by members of Parliament in the Dewan Rakyat.

He said Azhar could make a ruling on the matter and the police should refer to the Speaker first before taking any action.

“We do not understand why the rights and privileges of MPs in the Parliament have now been neglected and (the police investigation) can even be considered as insulting and intimidating MPs, especially the opposition,” he said.

Standing Order 36(10) states that it shall be out of order to use – (a) treasonable words; (b) seditious words; (c) words which are likely to promote feelings of ill-will or hostility between different communities in the Federation or infringe any provision of the Constitution or the Sedition Act 1948.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said if there were any problems with the statement made by the Sepanggar MP, the matter should be raised by the government and referred to the Parliamentary select committee for further action.

“But intimidating MPs for voicing opinions like what

We do not understand why the rights and privileges of MPs in the Parliament have now been neglected and (the police investigation) can even be considered as insulting and intimidating MPs, especially the opposition. Lim Guan Eng

happened to the Sepanggar MP creates a very dangerous precedent to the House,” he said.

Meanwhile, Azhar said he only found out about the matter when he read the news.

Azhar said he would review the hansard of the Sepanggar MP’s speech before communicating with the relevant parties.

When explaining the matter, Mohd Azis said he was shocked when police summoned him over a speech he had made in the House.

Mohd Azis said in his speech, he was referring to the grievances of the people of Sabah and Sarawak.

“If we want to save Malaysia, implement the Malaysia Agreement 1963, because without Sabah and Sarawak, there will be no Malaysia,” he said.

On Tuesday, Mohd Azis told a press conference at the Parliament building that he gave police statement about an hour over his speech on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the distribution of government allocations to Sabah during the 2022 Budget debate session two weeks ago.

“I have been told that this matter is being investigated and I do not know whether I will be charged or not, but I stand with whatever I mentioned in Parliament previously,” he said.

Kota Belud member of parliament Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis said in a statement yesterday that intimidation against opposition MPs needs to be stopped immediately as this move is backward and tarnishes the country’s image.

“Parliament is a platform that allows any complaints and voices of the people to be highlighted which are channeled through MPs.

“If the statement made by MPs in the Dewan Rakyat can be called by the police for questioning, where is our freedom to speak up?

“Does Parliament only allow MPs to praise the government instead of voicing out the people’s concerns?” she asked.

Munirah who is also the Parti Warisan Wirawati chief, admitted that she was a bit surprised to find out about the matter, as the majority of MPs from Sabah often raised issues related to MA63, including those from the government.

According to her, the budget debate by Sepanggar MP which touched on MA63 is not a new thing, in fact, the treatment and unfair distribution of allocations to the state of Sabah by Putrajaya is a daily topic that many Sabahans talk about openly.