Cabinet refers Taki to privileges committee over MMEA remark

The cabinet decided to refer PAS MP Takiyuddin Hassan to the Rights and Privileges Committee over his remarks on the Rusila mosque incident in September, which involved Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) officers.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Azalina Othman Said, explained that this was after considering views from all MPs during the recent Dewan Rakyat sitting.

As such, she said the motion tabled in the Dewan Rakyat will be fine-tuned for the matter to be officially referred to the committee.

“This is also to ensure that the Kota Bharu MP is given space to be heard in the committee, as the latter has a specific mandate under parliamentary standing orders.

“And the Madani government believes that the Rights and Privileges Committee will deliberate on the matter independently and responsibly, in accordance with the mandate granted by the august house,” she said in a statement today.

Operation compared to Memali incident

On Oct 22, Takiyiddin (above) raised an issue with MMEA conducting an exercise at the Rusila mosque in Terengganu on Sept 19 and compared it to the 1985 Memali incident.

In the Memali incident, the police had tried to arrest PAS leader Ibrahim Mahmood and his followers in Kampung Memali, Kedah, resulting in a confrontation that led to the deaths of 14 villagers and four police personnel.

During the September MMEA training exercise, several personnel conducting commando training stopped to pray at the Rusila mosque in Terengganu, raising alarm among locals and PAS politicians, as the mosque is next to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s home.

Rusila Mosque in Terengganu

Yesterday, MPs from both sides of the aisle locked horns on the matter, resulting in the government deferring its parliamentary motion to suspend Takiyuddin.

The decision came following a fiery two-hour debate and interjections between government and opposition MPs, arguing whether Takiyuddin should be penalised through a voting process in the august house or be referred to its privileges committee first.

Subsequently, Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the government agreed to defer its motion against Takiyuddin to the next Parliament session.

“Tan Sri (Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul), we understand, and after listening to all the arguments and weighing the points that were presented, on behalf of the government, I request that this motion be postponed and brought to the next session. Thank you,” Shamsul said in his winding-up speech.

According to the motion submitted by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, the government was seeking the Dewan Rakyat to suspend Takiyuddin for six months over his remarks that allegedly painted a negative image of the MMEA. - Mkini