PARLIAMENT | Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim has come to the prime minister’s defence over Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s discharge from 47 criminal charges.
The PKR leader is confident in Anwar Ibrahim’s promise that the government will not interfere in the judiciary and Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
Hassan (above) revealed to Parliament personal conversations he had with the prime minister over high-profile court cases.
He said he expressed his disapproval of the AGC’s decision to charge opposition leaders Muhyiddin Yassin and Wan Saiful Wan Jan over alleged corruption cases.
“In full sincerity, I want to share here how from time to time I had the opportunity to speak directly to the prime minister in private, where I told him that I never asked to be given any contract, any licence, but I will speak my mind.
“I told the prime minister that we cannot interfere in the judiciary, we must protect the independence of our justice system.
“And he agreed to what I said. The prime minister said he won’t interfere, not only in the judiciary but also in the AGC,” Hassan told the Dewan Rakyat.
Hassan said he believes in the premier’s assurance.
“Why? Because when Pagoh (Muhyiddin) and Tasek Gelugor (Wan Saiful) were charged, I contacted him (Anwar) directly to tell him that we should not persecute our political opponents, I disagree with political persecution.
“But he assured me that (the charges were not his doing), he was informed by the respective law enforcement agencies that they have the evidence (against the politicians),” Hassan added.
The MP was debating the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review that was tabled by the prime minister on Monday.
Call for more explanation
Hassan was among the leaders from the government side who had been critical of Umno president Zahid being granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in corruption charges linked to Yayasan Akalbudi.
In his speech today, Hassan said he is still not satisfied with how Zahid was granted a DNAA and believed the previous and current attorney-generals have to explain the AGC’s decision to withdraw their case against the deputy prime minister.
He called for former attorney-general Idrus Harun and his successor Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh to appear before the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Human Rights, Election, and Institutional Reform.
Hassan also wants Anwar to use the Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat as an opportunity to put to rest all the criticisms that had been thrown against him over the matter.
“I believe all the things that he told me during our chat as comrades, which was only between a party leader and his party member.
“And I have the right to believe what my leader explained to me. I will not throw my leaders under the bus, and I will defend him in this Dewan.
“But to be fair, so that my friends in the opposition and also the government backbenchers can hear from the prime minister himself, I would like to ask him to explain this issue so that it can be put to rest once and for all,” he said.
Separately, Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) in his debate argued that the government through Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said must be made to answer in Parliament.
"Even if they (PSSC) call for a meeting, the problem will not be solved. This committee is not the PAC (Public Accounts Committee) and the attorney-general has a right to not attend a hearing.
"If it was the PAC then he (Terrirudin) must attend. So when I asked, Parliament must answer," said Shahidan.
47 charges
Zahid was slapped with 47 charges, including 12 for criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption, and 27 money laundering charges involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah was at the defence stage after the criminal court ordered Zahid to enter his defence to the charges in January last year.
Sequerah ruled that the prosecution succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against Zahid.
However, the prosecution on Sept 4 applied for Zahid to get a DNAA, citing the need for MACC to investigate the case further to address concerns about selective prosecution, among others.
The DNAA would allow the prosecution to bring Zahid back to court again.
The decision to discharge Zahid received flak from both sides of the political divide as well as from anti-corruption activists. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.