KUALA LUMPUR: Pasir Gudang member of Parliament Hassan Karim has emerged as an unlikely advocate for Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal following a motion to suspend the latter from the Dewan Rakyat for six months.
The motion, tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said today, followed Wan Fayhsal's act of citing a poison pen letter, which mentioned an alleged mastermind behind Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd's (MAHB) privatisation when debating the annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) for 2021 and 2022 in Dewan Rakyat earlier this month.
Hassan, a PH MP, stood up, saying; "It is the right to be heard, natural justice. The accused (Wan Fayhsal) needs to answer, what is the problem.
"He has the right to be heard. The decision not to give the accused the right to respond is unjust.
"It is contrary to Article 62 of the Federal Constitution. The MPs were elected by the people. They too, must be treated fairly," he said when interjecting the debate session.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the motion clearly stated that Wan Fayhsal informed the lower house about the poison letter that had gone viral.
"He was informing the Dewan Rakyat on the content of the poison letter, he is not accusing- (anyone). Why don't we investigate the matter?
"Why not the government through Suhakam, investigate the matter, rather than having resentment against someone who opposes MAHB until today, and because of that we want to take action against Machang (Wan Fayhsal). This is not fair for us here.
"Let Machang defend himself, let him say something."
Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the Dewan Rakyat speaker (Tan Sri Johari Abdul) should determine if the individual, alleged to be an officer from Employees Provident Fund (EPF), mentioned in the poison letter could be categorised as a civil servant.
"Based on the Standing Order 36(9), the speaker must make a ruling if EPF officers should be categorised as civil servants."
Meanwhile, Azli Yusof (PH-Shah Alam) said that Wan Fayhsal had tainted the sanctity of the lower house with his reference to the poison letter. He also said that the individual identified by Wan Fayhsal was not able to defend himself due to the immunity granted to MPs.