[UPDATED] Top guns missing from voting on Sosma motion

KUALA LUMPUR – None of the government’s top political leaders were present during yesterday’s historic vote, which saw a motion on the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 rejected by two votes. 

According to Parliament’s Hansard which was just released online, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid and his predecessor Datuk Seri Najib Razak, PAS president Tan Sri Hadi Awang, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong – who is in Uruguay attending the Latin American Civil Aviation Commission Assembly – and MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan were among absentees in the government bench yesterday. 

However, it was not only party leaders from the government who failed to show up, as even key federal ministers were a no-show during yesterday’s vote. 

Among them include International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Senior Minister (Defence) Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, and Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

In the opposition, the only top party leaders who were absent were PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is down with Covid-19, Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, who is attending the Sabah assembly sittings.

Among top guns in attendance in the House yesterday and who had voted against the motion were Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng, and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.

Parliament yesterday rejected a government motion to renew a provision under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), which would have granted authorities the power to detain suspects for 28 days without trial.

It was defeated via bloc vote, with 86 voting against while 84 voted to renew the tenure for the provision.

The motion tabled by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin would have gone through a voice vote, but Nga Kor Ming (Teluk Intan-PH) invoked Section 47 of the Standing Orders of the Dewan Rakyat, which allows for a bloc vote if at least 15 lawmakers agree. – The Vibes, March 24, 2022