Updated: Ruckus in Parliament: Speaker cannot decide on the motion to debate on Sulu claim – Ramkarpal

The Sulu claim is a threat to national security, MPs insisted today at the Parliament. The decision on Petronas assets is also not a commercial decision but involves national interest, they insisted as the Speaker refused the motion – made three times – for a discussion on the matter.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 – Opposition Members of Parliament, led by Kota Belud MP Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis today protested the decision by Dewan Rakyat Speaker to disallow a motion to debate on the claims of the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate on Sabah.

When Isnaraissah insisted that the motion be passed, Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun told her that that was “cukup” or enough. Simpang Jeram MP Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub then stood up to say that the reason of subjudice cited for not allowing the motion to debate made no sense as the matter was already being debated in the local and international media. He said the people needed to know what happened as it involved the country’s sovereignty and also why the assets of the country’s national oil company, Petronas had been seized.

Among other MPs who went on to support the call by Kota Belud MP that a motion be passed to debate the matter, Bukit Gelugor’s MP Ramkarpal Singh also said there was be conflict of interest in the matter as the Speaker was also the brother to the head of the Attorney General Chambers Tan Sri Idrus Harun who is bound to be dealing with criticisms on the matter.

“Should your brother be criticized on the matter, then you are in a conflict of interest. You cannot decide this motion.”

He requested that the decision on the motion to have the debate be reconsidered as the matter was of grave importance as it involved billions of ringgit belonging to the country, and added that the stay of execution applied and gained by the Malaysian government on the court decision in France favouring the Sulu heirs was also made late.

Foreign Minister declined to comment on the Sulu claims. The Parliament today went into high tension as MPs, led by Kota Belud MP seeking a motion be passed to have a debate on the issue. Kota Belud MP was ordered out of the hall as MPs supported her call, with Bukit Gelugor MP also saying that there was a conflict of interest involving the speaker on the matter.

Further commotion followed as Kota Belud MP interrupted the Speaker’s explanation on the seizure of Petronas assets and that the matter had been discussed earlier. She was later ordered to leave the House with her suspension set for two days by the Speaker.

–WE