Azalina moves to adjourn Parliament just before Hadi's motion

PARLIAMENT | Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said today tabled a motion to adjourn the last sitting of the 13th Parliament just before PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's motion can be debated.

Hadi's motion, which was the second item on the Order Paper, would have gone to debate after the government' sole business, which was an amendment to the second schedule to the Financial Procedure Act 1957.

However, after the oral question session, Azalina stood up to table a motion asking that the Dewan Rakyat not to be adjourned until the amendment of the Financial Procedure Act 1957.

She added that following the amendment, all other matters would be deferred and the Dewan Rakyat will then be adjourned immediately.

Immediately after, Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS -Kota Bharu) stood up to question what would happen to Hadi's motion, which seeks to introduce a private member's bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, or Act 355.

The private member's bill seeks to increase the syariah punishment under Act 355 from three years imprisonment, RM5,000 fine and six strokes to the rotan to 10 years imprisonment, RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes of the rotan.

This would allow states to impose punishments for certain offences that are consistent with hudud requirements.

Takiyuddin questioned why Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia (photo) did not use his discretion to allow Hadi's motion to be debated after the government settled its legislation business.

Takiyuddin said Hadi's motion had already been tabled last year and was halfway through being heard.

"Outside, people have accused Marang (Hadi) of failing to bring the motion to debate but the discretion lies with Tan Sri (Pandikar)," said Takiyuddin.

However, Pandikar said he is tied by Standing Order 15(1) which allows government business to take precedence and Standing Order 12(1) which allows the government to defer matters on the Order Paper.

He added that when he allowed Hadi's motion to be tabled last year, it was due to the government allowing it.

"In the previous sitting, Marang's motion was tabled at the government's request.

"I was not constrained at the time nor was tied by Standing Order 15(1) as I have a letter given to me (by the government giving me discretion)," said Pandikar.

The speaker assured that Marang had done his duty within the constraints of the parliamentary procedure.

"If in the next Parliament session, there is a similar scenario (where the government allows the motion to be debated), we will wait for that time," he said. -Mkini