'How does Pandikar know it's OSA? He wasn't in cabinet'

Parti Warisan Sabah president Mohd Shafie Apdal is puzzled as to how Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia knows that the speeches made by three former cabinet ministers breached the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

Shafie said this is because Pandikar is not privy to cabinet discussions. Therefore, he would not know if anything said in the cabinet sessions was repeated in the speeches of the former ministers.

"I don't know what (under) the Official Secrets Act has been revealed by us in Parliament and I just wonder (how) did the speaker know the very fact there is (information that is sealed) under OSA.

"Who revealed to him?" the former rural development and regional minister asked.

Shafie (photo) said this during an interview with former Sabah PKR communications director Ronnie Klassen, who is the host of an online chat show, Airtime with Ronnie Klassen.

The interview with Shafie was published on the Airtime with Ronnie Klassen Facebook page on Sunday.

Pandikar had before that said the speeches made by the former ministers during debates in the Dewan Rakyat breached the oath of secrecy they took as cabinet members.

Former second finance minister and BN's Tambun MP Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, who sought answers on the 1MDB matter, has been called by the police for questioning on his speech.

However, his successor Johari Abdul Ghani sees no wrong in Husni's speech.

Another former minister who spoke in the Dewan Rakyat during debates on the Supply Bill was former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Shafie said: "I took my oath when I became a minister, in front of the King, and what did I say in front of the King?

"My oath was to pledge allegiance to the King of the country and to (uphold) the law and the constitution."

The former Umno vice-president added that MPs have immunity to debate issues in the interest of the people.

He said cabinet ministers frequently make announcements on decisions and discussions made in cabinet, and this has never been considered a breach of secrecy.

Similarly, Shafie said, Umno leaders and 1MDB president Arul Kanda Kandasamy have also held nationwide briefings on the same topic he raised in his speech.

"Some of these (issues) are spoken about widely by leaders, but not in Parliament," he said.-Mkini