KUALA LUMPUR – Pakatan Harapan’s legal task force is accusing Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun of abuse of power and being a government tool by preventing opposition lawmakers from holding votes on the emergency proclamation.
In a statement, the task force said this is because the speaker had rejected all motions proposed by opposition leader and Port Dickson MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham.
It said both sent proposals on the emergency proclamation dated January 11, 2021 and its related ordinances to be debated.
The task force said Anwar had requested for Dewan Rakyat to debate the proclamation, emergency ordinances, and matters related to the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, while Ngeh had sent four motions to annul the proclamation and three ordinances to be tabled as bills to be decided on with or without amendments.
However, it said Azhar had rejected all the proposals to be tabled during the special parliamentary sitting that starts today.
“We are of the view that the rejection of motions by the Yang di-Pertua Dewan Rakyat is a form of abuse of power and proves that he is incapable of acting as a speaker who is impartial or independent and who can ensure Parliament functions as a platform for check and balances towards the executive.”
“His actions prove that he is merely a tool for the executive in carrying out their agenda.”
On Saturday, Anwar described Azhar’s decision to reject the motions as “ludicrous”.
Among the reasons cited by Azhar was that Anwar’s proposal came in too early. Azhar said the notice for the special parliamentary meeting was issued July 15, while Anwar’s parliamentary motion was proposed July 12.
Additionally, Azhar said because Anwar had multiple topics in a single motion, it violated Standing Order 33(1) and 46(3).
The task force said Azhar’s actions showed that the Perikatan Nasional government was “very desperate” in avoiding any votes in Dewan Rakyat, adding that the speaker was a “government agent” who ensured no votes were being held during this sitting.
It added that the speaker was not only politically motivated but had violated the rights of Anwar and Ngeh to table the motions as stipulated under Article 150(3) of the federal constitution. – The Vibes, July 26, 2021
