OK to table defeated Sosma motion again, says law minister

 

Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said only bills cannot be re-tabled in the same parliamentary session if they are defeated.

PETALING JAYA: A suggestion to table afresh a defeated motion on the Sosma security law will not violate parliamentary standing orders, law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said today.

He said the proposal was over a motion and not a bill, and would not violate a rule that bills that have been rejected by the Dewan Rakyat can only be brought to the House again at the next parliamentary session.

“However, what is proposed by the home ministry is not about a bill but a motion that is not bound by this rule. Therefore, it can be re-tabled at any time,” Wan Junaidi said, according to a Berita Harian report.

Home minister Hamzah Zainudin had recently proposed a motion for the Dewan Rakyat to extend the enforcement of a provision in the Sosma law for detention without trial for up to 28 days.

The provision will lapse if not extended by Parliament for another five years beginning July 31.

However, when put to a vote in the Dewan Rakyat last week, only 84 MPs supported the renewal of the provision, with 86 against, while 50 MPs were absent.

Adib case review

Wan Junaidi was also asked about the case involving the death of fireman Adib Mohd Kassim at a riot in Subang Jaya in 2019.

He said a special committee to review the evidence relating to Adib’s death had met several times but he cannot divulge any of the findings.

“The committee comprises experts from local universities. It is expected to submit its final report in the middle of this month to the Cabinet before the findings are made public,” he said.

Wan Junaidi said a proposed law to ban party-hopping would be discussed by the Cabinet on April 6, before it is tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on April 11. - FMT