KUALA LUMPUR – Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul has yet to decide on the two motions filed by two opposition lawmakers to refer fellow Bersatu member Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan (Tasek Gelugor-PN) to the Parliament’s privileges committee.
Johari confirmed that he received the motions last Friday, filed by Datuk Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tg Karang-PN) and Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang-PN), who took issue with Wan Saiful’s comments on March 21.
“After reading the Hansard from Tasek Gelugor’s (speech), I took it very seriously as it involves the image of the two MPs (Tg Karang and Gua Musang), the prime minister and the government too.
“Before deciding on the motions, I need to get more information from all involved,” he said in the lower House today.
Johari added that he might either form a new committee with the participation of other MPs in accordance with Standing Order 80A or he may report all three straight to another committee.
According to Standing Order 80A, to punish contempt of the House, it may appoint a committee to summarily inquire into such a case.
Johari said that Zulkafperi and Azizi filed motions under Standing Order 36(6), which restricts an MP from blaming another member for having unethical intentions, and 36(12), which stipulates that the House’s privileges committee may punish someone for making misleading claims, respectively.
The speaker added that the Dewan Rakyat is not the place to discuss political issues.
“I have reminded and also warned several times that political issues should be debated outside and not here (Dewan Rakyat).
“I also inform the MPs that the time we spend here should not be used for political or party issues. The time should be spent discussing national and people’s issues.
On March 21, Wan Saiful made a bombshell revelation in Parliament, alleging that two MPs sought his backing for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s proposed unity government during the parliamentary sitting.
He claimed that on January 17, one of Selangor’s MPs, who was among the six Bersatu members who recently switched allegiance to Anwar, approached him with a lucrative offer.
The offer included a RM2 million parliamentary allocation, coverage of his wife’s medical expenses, an undisclosed sum to handle his ongoing legal case, and the possibility of having charges against him dropped.
As a result of the allegation, Wan Saiful proposed the establishment of a committee under Standing Order 80A to address contemptuous behaviour by members of the House. – March 25, 2024