Breaking down contentious issues in the right perspective

 

It is the usual practice of most journalists including this writer to correct themselves if they had reported erroneously, quoted someone incorrectly or got their facts wrong.

I am now caught in that situation because this morning, in a commentary titled “Two wrongs don’t make a right”, among others, I questioned if the speaker, Azhar Azizan Harun, had the power to vary a quarantine order issued under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within Infected Local Areas (No 2) Regulations 2020 (the “MCO Regulations”).

This was because three MPs under quarantine who donned personal protection equipment (PPE) were allowed to be present and vote in Parliament yesterday. The trio - Health Minister Dr Adham Baba (BN-Tenggara), Human Resources Minister M Saravanan (BN-Tapah) and P Prabakaran (Harapan-Batu) - were previously exposed to a Covid-19 positive patient.

Late this morning, Azhar explained that the three MPs under home quarantine had obtained permission from Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah to attend Parliament.

“The Health DG in a letter dated Dec 14 granted the three MPs under HSO permission for time off (from their quarantine) to attend Parliament until Dec 17,” Azhar said in response to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Let’s look at what transpired in Parliament and the relevant proceedings are reproduced verbatim from the Hansard:

Dr Xavier Jayakumar a/l Arulanandam [Kuala Langat]: Tuan Pengerusi, penjelasan sedikit mengenai dengan tiga orang yang ada di atas yang pakai PPE ini... [Merujuk kepada tiga orang Ahli Yang Berhormat mengenakan pakaian PPE, berada di Galeri Awam] Atas apa alasan mereka dibenarkan masuk di dalam Parlimen?... [Dewan riuh] Bila mereka sudah ada kontak dekat. Apa alasan Tuan Yang di-Pertua?

“(Mr Speaker, briefly explain why the three people sitting above are wearing PPE... [referring to the three Honourable Members that are donned in PPE at the Public Gallery] On what grounds were they permitted to enter Parliament? [chaos erupts in the House] When they were already in close contact... What’s your explanation, Mr Speaker?)”

Speaker: Pada hari Khamis lalu, terdapat seorang MP daripada sebelah sini yang tidak mematuhi perintah kuarantin, dan datang mengundi. Saya tidak mahu perkara itu berlaku, lebih baik saya regulate pengundian ini.

“(Last Thursday, there was an MP from this side that was not obeying the quarantine order and came and cast his vote. I do not want a repetition of it, it’s better I regulate this voting.)”

Now, now… there appears to be a dead cat on the line. Azhar’s stand is that the trio was granted permission in the form of a letter. Surely Azhar would have seen the letter before granting permission to the trio.

If he had sighted that letter and told the screaming MPs that the trio had been cleared by the health authorities, would it have been an issue and would the shouting match have ensued in the House.

Azhar added that he was made to understand that it was not a new practice, as similar permission had been granted for other urgent cases. Yes, Mr Speaker but why weren’t the MPs informed about this yesterday? Perhaps, the speaker’s memory failed him.

Doubting Thomases will always claim that the letter came about as afterthought – justifiable because the so-called letter made a mysterious appearance today. 

With so much happening behind the scenes in the government and in Parliament, how could this be dismissed without discussion?

Where was the letter when Azhar made the ruling? Yesterday, he only attributed his decision because an MP under quarantine had turned up in Parliament last Thursday – nothing else – no letter, no permission, zilch.

His explanation may give the impression that I jumped the gun or did not check my facts. At the time the commentary was written just before midnight yesterday, almost all the news portals never cited or referred to the letter.

Are a correction and an apology due to Azhar? Was my report erroneous in any way? I don’t think so and don’t want to take this path. 

Based on the Hansard and what transpired in the House, I stand by what I had said.

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R NADESWARAN, like many other like-minded citizens, was bewildered that the powers of the Health Ministry were usurped by the speaker. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com - Mkini

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.