Speaker: Syed Saddiq being unfair to me for rejecting LCS motion

 

PARLIAMENT | Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul said Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was being unfair to him for claiming his motion to discuss the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal was rejected because it was “not a matter of public interest” and “not urgent”.

“According to Muar, he believes I rejected his motion because I think it is not a matter of public interest and not urgent, but Muar was not being fair because I explained clearly in paragraph four of the letter I sent to him.

“I said the motion does not fulfil Standing Order 18(7)(c) because I was informed that the Defence Ministry is required to table a report on the development of the LCS project every three months to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) until its completion.

“And the PAC has decided to visit Lumut for further investigations. So, when the PAC has made its decision, what else is there for us to decide?” Johari said as he chaired the afternoon session of the parliamentary sitting today.

In the letter, which Syed Saddiq posted a picture of on his social media, the speaker also said the matter is subject to Standing Order 23(1)(e).

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman

Standing Order 18(7)(c) states that the speaker may refuse to allow any motion submitted to him if they are satisfied that the motion contravenes any of the provisions of the Standing Orders.

Meanwhile, Standing Order 23(1)(e) states that a question may not refer to proceedings in a committee that has not been reported to the House.

While Johari did not mention this in his rebuke of Syed Saddiq, the letter also mentioned that the Muar MP’s motion did not fulfil Standing Order 18(2) which allows parliamentarians to call for an emergency debate on an issue that is definite, urgent and of public importance.

However, Johari explained in the letter that this is because Syed Saddiq did not state in his motion why the matter is definite, urgent, and of public interest.

Earlier today, Syed Saddiq said Johari rejected his motion to discuss the LCS project in detail in the Dewan Rakyat.

He also claimed that the speaker’s letter stated it was rejected because the issue was “not a matter of public interest” and “not urgent”. - Mkini