Perak speaker rejects MB's motion to debate Icerd

PERAK DUN | Perak speaker Ngeh Koo Ham today rejected a motion brought by Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

This is likely the first time that a chief executive's motion had been shot down by a speaker anywhere in the country. 

According to Sinar Harian, Faizal had submitted a motion to debate the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd).

However, Ngeh reportedly rejected the motion, and a similar motion by Ahmad Saidi Mohamad Daud (BN-Changkat Jering), on grounds that the subject matter was “under the jurisdiction of the federal government.”

“[…] all matters pertaining to international conventions and international bodies are the jurisdiction of the federal government.

“The other reason is the issue concerning the ratification of the Icerd is now academic, since the federal government had on Nov 23, announced that it would not ratify the treaty,” Ngeh told the Perak assembly.

Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki responded to this with a tweet questioning if DAP or the menteri besar was more powerful in Perak. 

"If a motion by the menteri besar - the head of the state government - is rejected by the DAP speaker, who is actually in control of Perak? The menteri besar or DAP?" asked Asyraf. 

Under Westerminster-style parliamentary systems, the speaker is supposed to act in an independent manner, even if the person represented a particular party.

Despite Putrajaya’s decision, a massive rally concerning Icerd has been planned in Kuala Lumpur this Saturday.

The gathering, which was initially to oppose the possible ratification of the UN instrument, has been converted to a “thanksgiving” gathering, following the government’s decision.

NGO Gerakan Pembela Ummah (Ummah) is the main organiser of the event, and it is supported by opposition parties Umno and PAS, which had estimated that some 500,000 of their members will flood the streets on Saturday. -Mkini