KUALA LUMPUR: There was a momentary ruckus in the Dewan Rakyat when a minister and the opposition chief whip traded barbs over the house arrest bill and the alleged royal addendum related to Datuk Seri Najib Razak's pardon appeal.
It began when Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Baru) asked Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said on the justification and contents of the bill related to house arrest.
He had also asked whether the royal addendum order from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong allowing Najib to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, as stated in Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's affidavit, had existed.
Azalina had been winding-up her session on the Supply Bill 2025 when Takiyuddin interjected.
To this, Azalina said: "I am not responsible for amendments to the Prisons Act or the existence of any new legislation for house arrest."
Takiyuddin, appearing dissatisfied by her answer, said Azalina should have information on the matter.
"You said you are the minister in charge of the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC). The attorney-general (AG) is a member of the Federal Territories Pardons Board.
"How is it you say that you have no information from the A-G on the addendum?"
In response, Azalina said although she was the minister in charge of law, that did not mean that she was involved in the appointment of the A-G nor did she look into the files of the A-GC.
"I am quite confused. YB (Takiyuddin), you were law minister too, before. Are you saying that the A-G reported to you?
"I am also not involved in the Pardons Board because the minister responsible, and the secretariat in this case is the federal territories minister (minister in the prime minister's department)."
Takiyuddin, however, described Azalina's response as a ploy, arguing that both the A-G and chief justice fell under her jurisdiction.
Azalina then said: "So, you are admitting that you gave instructions to the A-G when you were a minister, right? The Madani government does not do this. Apologies, YB."
Takiyuddin then claimed that the Pengerang member of parliament was unable to address the issue and said: "Who else, if not the law minister, is responsible for the A-GC and the judiciary? If you can't answer, just admit it. It's simple."
RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) then came to Azalina's defence and interjected, claiming that Takiyuddin had made baseless accusations.
This then prompted Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut) to stand up and call Rayer a "macai" (lackey).
The focus then shifted to Rayer, who demanded Che Zulkifly retract his remark, but the latter refused, saying the former had used the same word towards the opposition.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, who presided over the session, asked whether Che Zulkifly knew the meaning of "macai".
He first said he did not know the meaning of the word, but when pressed by the speaker, he said "macai" meant "follower".
"Besut, sit down. I already understand," said Johari, telling him not to make any further statements.