6 theSun | THURSDAY NOVEMBER 13 2008

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Husna Yusop and Giam Say Khoon at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday

Use correct process to

Klang MP Charles Santiago puts down his
signature at the Parliament lobby yesterday.
50,000 signatures
for repeal of ISA
THE Coalition for the Abolition of the
ISA, a non-governmental organisa-
tion, submitted a memorandum and
50,000 signed postcards to opposi-
tion MPs to be handed to the Prime
Minister’s Office.
The coalition’s chairman, Syed
Ibrahim Syed Noh, said the postcards
were signed by people from all walks
of life who opposed the Internal
Security Act.
He said the postcards were meant
to create awareness of the Act’s
abuse, call for its repeal, the release
of all ISA detainees and the closure of
the Kamunting detention camp.
“We have tried to submit the
memorandum and postcards to the
Anwar initiates caucus on judiciary
OPPOSITION Leader Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim said a parliamentary
caucus on the integrity and independ-
ence of the judiciary would be set up
after a meeting in Parliament today.
He said MPs from both the Ba-
risan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat,
and Minister in the Prime Minister’s
Department in-charge of Parliament,
prime minister but we are not enter-
tained, so we will ask the opposition
MPs to help us,” he told a press
conference at the Parliament lobby.
Syed Ibrahim said there are five
detainees who have been in deten-
tion for more than seven years with-
out trial, 11 for more than five years,
seven for more than four years, 12 for
more than three years, 19 for more
than two years, five for a year, and
five for less than one year.
Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang
Kerian), Charles Santiago (DAP-
Klang), R. Sivarasa (PKR-Subang)
and Dr D Jeyakumar (PSM-Sungai
Siput) were present to accept the
memorandum and postcards.
Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, have been in-
formed of the caucus and are invited
to attend the meeting.
“It is important for Parliament to
debate the issue of the judiciary, and
while we are waiting for the Judicial
Commission Bill to be tabled, it is
imperative that the caucus debate it
first,” Anwar told reporters.
debate CJ issue: Speaker
SPEAKER Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia
rejected for the second time an urgent motion
by Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) to
debate an alleged public admission by Chief
Justice Tan Sri Zaki Azmi that he had been
involved in bribing court officials when he was
The issue a practising lawyer in 1987.
can still be
discussed
In a letter of reply to Karpal’s motion,
Pandikar Amin said he had rejected the motion
moved under Standing Order 18 as it violated
by way of a
substantive
Order 36 (8), which stated that the conduct of
judges could not be debated, unless Article 127
of the Federal Constitution was complied with.
motion “The issue can still be discussed by way of
moved a substantive motion moved for that purpose
for that under Order 36 (8), and if a quarter of MPs
purpose agree to debate the matter as stipulated under
Article 127 of the Federal Constitution,” he said.
under Karpal’s motion was first rejected on
Order Tuesday as there was more than one motion
36 (8), and filed that day, and under Order 18 (5), the
if a quarter speaker can consider only the motion filed
earlier.
of MPs At a press conference in his office later,
agree to Pandikar Amin said: “It is impossible for
debate the me to separate ‘sweetness from sugar and
spiciness from pepper’ because when a debate
matter as is approved, what they (MPs) are going to
stipulated talk about will not only be on the conduct of a
under person.
Article “So I will not approve under the Standing
127 of the Order (cited by Karpal).”
He said he was puzzled as to why the
Federal Opposition had not cited the correct Standing
Cons- Orders as Order 18 “is too restrictive to move
titution.” an urgent motion”.
Under Order 18 (1), an MP is allowed to
request an adjournment of the proceeding for
an emergency motion to discuss a definite
matter of urgent public importance.
“They (the Opposition) know I will reject,
and I do not have any agenda for publicity as I
only follow the Standing Orders,” he said.
“They know that when the speaker rejects
an MP’s motion, he or she will get publicity,
regardless the outcome.”
To a question, he said he was not worried
about the public’s perception that he
would always reject motions moved by the
Opposition, as he would also reject motions
from backbenchers if they violate the Orders.
On the perception that only Opposition MPs
would be ordered to leave the House, Pandikar
Amin said some MPs know they cannot cross
the line when several warnings are issued by
the speaker.
On whether the Health Ministry’s
enforcement team would be allowed to act
against smokers in Parliament as requested
by Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul
Latiff Ahmad, he said that since the laws were
passed by lawmakers and warning has been
given, action can be taken.
At a separate press conference at the
Parliament lobby, Karpal said he would lodge a
police report against Zaki today.
“In view of the public admission made by
the CJ, this matter cannot be allowed to rest or
be dismissed just like that. It has to be taken
further as the CJ has been talking about the
integrity of the judiciary,” he said.
“It is important now to determine whether
Zaki is fit to occupy the position of chief justice,
and we have no alternative but to take the
matter further by lodging a police report.”
Earlier, Karpal said Zaki had allegedly
admitted to a New Straits Times reporter
that he had bribed court staff when he was
in private practice in 1987. The report was
published last Friday.
The Sunday Times of Nov 9 then published
a clarification that the report had said Zaki had
been aware of corruption in the court registry
in order to get things done but that he denied
resorting to corruption.
“Although a clarification was published,
Zaki was aware of the corrupt practices which
he further confirmed,” Karpal said.
He said he would lodge the report at the
Tun H.S. Lee police station at 3pm.

Court
allows
Govt not reluctant to set up
police to
re-examine
judicial commission, says PM
RPK’s PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Abdul-
lah Ahmad Badawi rejected claims
computers by the Opposition that the govern-
pg 8 ment was reluctant to set up the
Judicial Appointments Commission
and implement other reforms in
the judiciary.
He said the government was
preparing a bill for the setting up
of the commission, which would
be tabled in the current session.
“We hope the Opposition will
support the move and not try to
defeat the initiatives,” he said in
reply to Wee Choo Keong (PKR-
Wangsa Maju).
Wee had asked Abdullah why
the government was reluctant
to set up the commission and
implement other reforms in the
judiciary as promised by the prime
minister during the Bar Council
dinner in April.
Abdullah said a lot more
needed to be done to reform the
judiciary apart from setting up the
commission.
“It is an ongoing process and
we will spare no effort in the quest
for continuous improvement,” he
said.
He said that among the aspects
being looked into was instituting
a more transparent and efficient
case management to speed up
the disposal of cases.
Efforts were also under way
to resolve issues arising from the
computerisation of the court’s re-
cording and transcription system.
– Bernama

‘No double standard in

granting refugee status’
DEPUTY Foreign Minister Datuk
Abdul Rahim Bakri refuted an
allegation of double standard
in the government’s granting of
refugee status, a matter which
cropped up following the dep-
ortation of Thai nationals from
the country’s restive south.
He said 25 of 131 refugees
had returned voluntarily after re-
ceiving assurance that no action
would be taken against them.
Abdul Rahim was respond-
ing to Datuk Ismail Kasim
(BN-Arau), who had asked why
southern Thai refugees had to be
deported, while the same did not
apply to Filipinos in the country.
Ismail, in his original question,
had asked what Malaysia’s role
was as an Asean member, in
helping to address the problems
in south Thailand and whether
these could be resolved through
diplomatic channels.
Abdul Rahim said Malaysia
had accepted the 131 refugees
when they entered the country in
2005 and placed them at a deten-
tion depot in Ajil, Terengganu.
Eleven had decided to return
to Thailand last year, and another
14 this year.
“It is hoped the remaining
106 will do the same voluntar-
ily,” he said. “Our view is that the
problems in south Thailand are
internal.” – Bernama