KUALA LUMPUR – Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has received online brickbats after he called for a parliamentary motion to postpone a session in order to refer Israel to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Numerous netizens were quick to point out that PAS, a component party in Perikatan Nasional (PN), had pushed for the then Pakatan Harapan-led government to withdraw from signing the Rome Statute in 2019.
Naim Zaini, an X (formerly Twitter) user, explained that only nations that are members of the Rome Statute have the right to bring any case to the ICC.
“As we know, PAS previously fought day and night playing the Rome Statute issue, forcing the government to withdraw.
“The one who played this issue is now your good friend, while the one who withdrew was (Tun Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad). He has also become PN’s best friend,” he said, questioning who is to blame if Malaysia is unable to refer Israel to the ICC.
The Rome Statute is a treaty that established the ICC, an organisation aimed at prosecuting significant crimes internationally. There are currently 123 nations that are members of the statute.
On X, Wan Fayhsal said that opposition lawmakers were “berbuih” (foaming) like broken records in urging the government to postpone a parliamentary session and urging the ICC to charge Israel for war crimes.
“PN MPs have continuously asked (this) in Parliament. If you do not want us to bring it up, we would still support it if the government motions for it.
“Singapore discussed a similar motion in a special conference for six hours. I don’t know what is so hard and heavy (for us to discuss),” he said.
In response, local author and playwright Faisal Tehrani jibed Wan Fayhsal for his usage of “berbuih”, adding that people have been calling for the signing of the Rome Statute.
“People have been “foaming” to ask (the government) to sign the Rome Statute. But PN is not ‘best’,” he said.
Similarly, another user named Zulfadli Sukarno said: “It seems that the foreign minister has not ‘foamed’ to explain that we cannot bring cases to the ICC because we did not sign the statute.
“Who was it that previously did not want this (statute) signed if not their own gang now.”
Meanwhile, other netizens either unearthed ‘memes’ of Wan Fayhsal or simply lambasted him over his post.
Previously, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir explained that Malaysia is unable to refer Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the ICC, as the nation is not a member of the Rome Statute.
He said that an international criminal case can only be referred to the ICC by the statute’s members, the United Nations, or the ICC prosecutor itself.
The government had initially signed the Roman Statute in March 2019, but was still required to ratify it.
However, in April of the same year, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad withdrew from the statute after then-opposition parties – Umno and PAS – objected to it, claiming it would undermine Malay privilege and the legal immunity of the rulers.
It led to Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar claiming that signing the treaty would breach the constitution, as it involved the powers of the monarchy, Malay rights, and Islam. – November 11, 2023