Malaysia's parliament hits scandal one after another

Mariam Mokhtar, Malaysia Chronicle

The Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee’s refusal to allow Opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, a fair hearing in the Umno-APCO link issue, may seem a politically expedient move, but is in reality shortsighted and risky; The committee reneged on an earlier decision.

Just over a decade ago, Anwar was hounded out of office and subsequently jailed, in an orchestrated plan by former Prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. In the eyes of many Malaysians, Mahathir represented everything that was corrupt, brutal and uncompromising. He was probably the most hated man in Malaysia.

Twelve years on, Malaysian politics may have produced another comparable villain. The Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat may be reviled as the man who does not uphold the processes of parliament and democracy, but he is not singled out for special opprobrium.

Yet again, our Prime Minister, Najib Abdul Razak, is vying with Mahathir for the affections of the nation. His latest act shows poor judgement and lack of courage.

Last June, Anwar accused Najib of commissioning the Israeli-linked, APCO Worldwide, which he alleged was behind the 1Malaysia and One Israel concept.

These accusations dominated the earlier parliamentary sessions and were heavily featured in the various by-election campaigns.

One of the many spoofs to protest Najib's deal with APCO

Anwar had initially been summoned to face the committee but the hearing was postponed until it was raised, this Friday, by the MP for Muar, Razali Ibrahim who suggested that the committee continue its proceedings, without calling any witnesses or Anwar, to testify.

Committee chairman Pandikar Amin Mulia, who is the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, confirmed that a decision was reached on Friday. Both Karpal Singh and Sivarasa Rasiah, also committee members but opposition politicians, had walked out in protest.

The committee chairman declined to reveal the outcome and said that it could not be made public until it was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat and after the committee reconvened to finalise the report.

During a press conference at PKR headquarters, both Karpal and Sivarasa expressed shock at the irregularities surrounding the meeting and at the letter from APCO, dated Aug 19, which had been submitted to the committee members that morning.

“We can’t associate with them any more. This has deprived Anwar of putting his side of the story. In my view the Rights and Privileges Committee has abdicated its responsibilities,” said Karpal.

“APCO is very powerful that one letter can overturn all our testimonies,” added Anwar.

He scoffed at their suggestion that “they had enough 'evidence' to decide whether or not to suspend me”. He then accused the committee of pushing for his suspension without giving him the opportunity to present documents in his defense.

He showed a copy of Hansard dated April 22, where Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang had raised the issue, and the speaker’s reply which stated: “We will call anyone who is needed and documents will be tabled. The committee will then make its recommendation and decide on the proper punishment.”

Anwar’s lawyer, Ambiga Sreenevasam said that the Parliament had acted against the rule of natural justice by allowing the committee to meet without calling Anwar: “This has never happened before in courts where a person is at least given his right to defend himself, but this was not done.”

“There are hidden motives, that is for sure. The way they rushed the suspension and the way they are rushing the sodomy trial is highly questionable and suspicious. It appears that for the sake of political motives, the Najib administration is willing to throw the country's image down the drain because at stake is how other countries will view us in the way we dispense justice, rule by law and our commitment to democracy and democratic rights,” Sivarasa told Malaysia Chronicle.

“Given what has happened, we can expect the impending punishment,” he added, reflecting the parliamentary bulldozing that will portend the outcome of Anwar's sodomy trial.

PKR’s newly elected deputy president, Azmin Ali told Malaysia Chronicle, “We are most concerned about the BN's failure to use due process. That they are discarding what is only rightful and basic for such high-handed ways is very alarming to us. It not only spells the end of further civil liberties in Malaysia because the Najib administration now appears not to care about world opinion anymore but it also implies very negative possibilities for the opposition especially Anwar Ibrahim as we move nearer to the general elections.”

Meanwhile, Anwar believed that any action barring him from Parliament were signs that the general election was imminent.

Despite all that has happened in the past decade, this latest twist to prevent Anwar from defending himself will re-open old wounds.

There is already deep unease at our lack of justice and there exists, a permanent sense of ill-feeling.

The knowledge that our government has an unhealthy relationship with APCO is disturbing. That APCO has so much influence on our parliament, is even more unsettling.

If those who believe that Anwar’s charges about APCO were ludicrous, then parliament must accord him his rights to defend himself. Otherwise what is parliament for? Is there something the government wishes to hide?

The Speaker has compromised himself and tainted parliament. Those who believe in the process of democracy and the rule of parliament are betrayed. Parliament should be ashamed because the general belief is that in Malaysia one is innocent until proven guilty, unless one is Anwar.

Najib may crave victory, but at what cost?