Speaker rejects motion on temple issue

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Ariff Yusuf yesterday rejected an emergency motion to debate the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple issue.

Lembah Pantai PKR MP Fahmi Fadzil, who filed the motion on Tuesday, said he accepted the decision of the speaker.

Ariff said the motion was rejected because investigations into the matter are ongoing.

“I accept the speaker’s reasoning because the prime minister and home minister have already given their ministerial statements in the Dewan on this issue,” Fahmi said.

“When an emergency motion is debated in the lower house, the relevant minister must answer.

“In this context, Malaysians have already received their answers from the home minister and the prime minister,” he added.

The government had chosen to respond to the matter under Article 14(1)(i) of the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders, that stipulates an explanation can be given by a minister instead of allowing the house to debate a matter via an emergency motion brought under Article 18(1) of the Standing Orders.