DAP's Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang revealed that he has submitted a notice to Parliament to debate the issue of Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali flouting Covid-19 quarantine rules in July and turning up in the Dewan Rakyat.
"I have given notice that I will raise the issue of Khairuddin’s violation of the Covid-19 quarantine standard operating procedures in the November meeting of Parliament," he said in a statement.
The next Dewan Rakyat sitting will convene on Nov 2.
Lim said he wants Khairuddin to be referred to the House Rights and Privileges Committee.
He added that Khairuddin had threatened the "health and lives of MPs" when he wilfully attended the Dewan Rakyat sitting on July 13, 14 and 16 when he should have been under a 14-day home quarantine after returning from Turkey on July 7.
He also questioned if Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin would hold Khairuddin accountable by moving a motion to refer him to the Rights and Privileges Committee.
"Or is Muhyiddin being held to ransom by Khairuddin and other PAS ministers and deputy ministers as the Muhyiddin government will fall if PAS withdraws support, especially at a time when Umno is mulling quitting the Perikatan Nasional government and wants a new deal?" posed Lim.
Muhyiddin has a fragile majority in the Dewan Rakyat, with the backing of 113 MPs in the 222-member House. Three defections are enough to bring down his government.
Khairuddin was later fined RM1,000 for violating the quarantine order.
However, this led to questions of double standards as ordinary citizens had been fined more and even jailed for similar violations.
As the pressure mounted, police also opened an investigation paper against the minister.
To date, there has been no decision on whether Khairuddin will be charged in court.
"It is a pathetic spectacle so see the investigation paper on Khairuddin being treated like a shuttlecock between the police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
"It does the police no credit whatsoever that there is no decision yet on Khairuddin’s case, although the police started investigations some nine weeks ago over a simple open-and-shut case.
"If the police are unable to competently complete their investigation into the case so that the Attorney-General’s Chambers Prosecution Division could make a decision, how are Malaysians expected to have confidence in the police in more complicated cases?" Lim said.
No minister who violated the Covid-19 standard operating procedures, at a time where the pandemic was becoming severe, has the moral authority to remain in the cabinet, the DAP veteran added. - Mkini
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