KUANTAN – The government is closely monitoring the trial involving two Malaysians at the United States naval station court in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, said Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
“We are monitoring the trial and case developments,” he said after handing over contributions to frontliners at the Kuantan health office here today.
He was commenting on the trial involving Mohammed Nazir Lep and Mohammed Farik Amin who were brought before the court on August 30.
The two Malaysians were allegedly linked to the deadly bombing incident in Bali, Indonesia about 19 years ago.
They have been detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp since 2002 along with Indonesian Encep Nurjaman, also known as Hambali.
According to the US Office of Military Commissions, the three had been scheduled to be arraigned before the court in February, but it was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said he strongly supported the parliamentary transformation proposal made by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
He said he hoped Parliament would become truly independent, so debates could be held without external interference.
“Among the things that can be done is to revive the Parliamentary Service Act so that the Senate and Dewan Rakyat secretary posts, as well as that of the Parliament chief administrator, are not filled by civil servants.
“Through this transformation, we will have an independent Parliamentary Service Commission responsible for recruiting parliamentary officers and staff,” he said. – Bernama, September 4, 2021