Gani told me he is fine, says Gobind

Minister Nancy Shukri gave a vague answer citing the former attorney-general's health as a reason and evaded the situation by saying her 15 minutes time was up.

KUALA LUMPUR: Several opposition leaders expressed their frustration outside the Dewan Rakyat today over Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri’s answer on the sacking of former Attorney-General Gani Patail.

Dissatisfied with answers, opposition leaders from DAP, PKR, Amanah and PAS stormed out of the Dewan to give a late press conference to the press waiting outside.

DAP’s Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong) said Nancy should have the decency to answer a nation-puzzling question, such as the reasons behind the firing of Gani and the Security Offences and Special Measures Act (Sosma) being used on citizens.

He said he had met Gani yesterday in a forum organised by the Bar Council.

“Gani told me ‘I am here, I am fine. You can see me’. Clearly he is not sick, this is why we want to ask how can the government sack him due to health reasons when he is actually healthy?

“Nancy as a minister has to answer the question, not avoid it by saying that she has answered the question. She also repeated the health factor as her answer,” Gobind said.

Gobind also referred to a question regarding Sosma, which Nancy did not answer.

Earlier today, Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi had said that Nancy would answer all questions regarding the Anti-Terrorism Act, as he felt inferior to be debating with Gobind whom he labelled as a good lawyer.

However, according to Gobind, when he and several other opposition leaders stood up to raise the question on Gani, Nancy merely sat down and said that “her 15 minutes is up”.

“I wanted to ask about Sosma as Zahid said he did not want to debate with me but the minister only replied for about 15 minutes and closed the topic.

“Then again you shouldn’t expect any better from the BN government,” said a frustrated Gobind.

Along with Gobind at the press conference was PAS Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin, PKR Sg Petani MP Johari Abdul and PKR Kapar MP G Manivannan.