Anwar, 1MDB and MPs’ pay rise hot issues for Parliament

1MDB, calls for parliamentary inquiry and new anti-terrorism Bill to be focus of attention.

KUALA LUMPUR: A proposed pay rise for MPs, the position of jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, the finances of the troubled government investment company 1Malaysia Development Bhd and new security laws, including the anti-terrorism Bill, will be the hot issues for the new sitting of Parliament next week.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, will open Parliament on Monday.

The Dewan Rakyat will sit for 20 days from Tuesday to April 20. Among the new laws to be tabled for debate are amendments on the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which among others, define ketum as a dangerous drug.

The Prevention of Terrorism Bill, to be tabled at the meeting, will empower the authorities to act against the Islamic State militant group with changes to existing laws on national security.

Also expected to be tabled is the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) (Amendment) Bill 2014 relating to MPs’ salary and allowance increase, which was postponed from last sitting.

The problems of 1MDB, its massive debts of RM42 billion, and a recent call by deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin for a full parliamentary investigation by the Public Accounts Committee, will be a focal point of discussion, especially after revelations of questionable transactions and late debt repayments.

The position of Anwar Ibrahim will definitely be among the issues to be raised by MPs, and the question of whether he remains opposition leader and if he should be permitted to attend Parliament meetings.

Anwar’s wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, MP for Kajang, and their daughters, Nurul Izzah (MP for Lembah Pantai) and Nurul Nuha, had on Feb 23 submitted a petition to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a royal pardon after his conviction on a sodomy charge and a five-year jail sentence.

Since the petition was filed, there has been widespread public debate over whether Anwar will be allowed to attend the Dewan Rakyat sitting.

The former Attorney-General, Abu Talib Othman, was recently quoted as saying that no one had the legal authority to produce Anwar in Parliament as he had been sentenced to jail by a court of law. Former minister Rais Yatim said the process of law had been completed and Anwar should serve his time and respect the law of the country.

However Anwar’s family and members of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat hold otherwise, stating that until the petition was dealt with, Anwar remained the member for Permatang Pauh and should be allowed to attend. His lawyers have written to the Prisons Department and Home Ministry seeking that he be produced at Parliament.

Another question to be dealt with is that of the position of opposition leader. It has been held by PKR leaders since March 2008 when Wan Azizah was appointed; she held the post for five months before she stepped down as Permatang Pauh MP to enable Anwar to contest in a by-election after his conviction on a previous sodomy charge was overturned.

Anwar won the seat in the by-election in October and became opposition leader with the agreement of the Pakatan coalition partners.

Before Anwar, the position was held by Lim Kit Siang of DAP (seven terms over a span of three decades) and Fadzil Nor of PAS before the opposition coalition was formed.

The position of opposition leader is traditionally held by the part with the most seats. The DAP has 37 seats, PKR 30 and PAS 21. However Anwar was appointed on the basis that he is leader of the coalition, and not by individual party seat strength.

Other hot current issues include the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax in April, the PAS-led Kelantan government’s plan to implement the hudud law in the state, which will require a Parliamentary mandate through an amendment to the Federal Constitution, the threat by the Islamic State militant group.