Group slams Cabinet plan to reprimand MPs through speaker
Published on: Saturday, March 09, 2024
By: FMT
LFL adviser N Surendran said Parliament is ‘not a government department to which the Cabinet may administer rebukes’. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Infractions by MPs during parliamentary proceedings should be handled internally by the Dewan Rakyat in accordance with the Standing Orders, says rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL)
LFL adviser N Surendran said Putrajaya’s plan to “contact” the Dewan Rakyat speaker over allegedly misleading remarks by opposition MPs is a “dangerous development”.
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“I have never before heard of a statement of this nature from the Cabinet, directed at Parliament. Parliament is not a government department to which the Cabinet may administer rebukes,” he said in a statement.
His remarks come after communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said yesterday “a series of false statements” by MPs during the debate on the royal address had “confused” the Dewan Rakyat, before being followed up with apologies.
Surendran, who cited Articles 62 and 63 of the Federal Constitution, said the Dewan Rakyat holds complete power and control over its own affairs and proceedings.
“If the Cabinet proceeds with this unusual step, they may well be in breach of parliamentary privilege, and commit contempt of the House,” he said.
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He said although the ministers, as MPs, may raise concerns in the Dewan Rakyat, “the Cabinet as a collective entity cannot interfere in parliamentary affairs”.
“To allow this would lead to the emasculation of Parliament and lead towards a dictatorship of the Cabinet,” he said, adding that it does not matter which political coalition is in power.
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Surendran said the Cabinet should retract its plan, refrain from issuing directions or rebukes to the Dewan Rakyat, and improve its understanding of parliamentary autonomy and independence.
“Meanwhile, the speaker and MPs must be ever vigilant and vigorously resist any encroachment or threat to the independence of Parliament and the autonomy of its proceedings,” he said.
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