Karpal: It's an insult to MPs' intelligence
S PathmawathyPublished: Jun 30, 2009 8:44 AM | Updated: Jun 30, 2009 12:21 PM
Veteran parliament Karpal Singh said he is disappointed with the punishment recommended by the select committee against the mob who had ambushed him.
Veteran parliament Karpal Singh said he was disappointed with the punishment recommended by the select committee against the mob who had ambushed him.
"The punishment is unreasonable to the act committed," said the Bukit Gelugor DAP MP.
He also said that the committee's decision to admonish seven MPs including himself, is an "insult to members of parliament".
Speaking at a press conference at the Parliament lobby, Karpal (right) said that the committee had no powers to evoke such punishments against the MPs.
"There is no provision under the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 for the committee headed by the Speaker to admonish us... we are not school children, we are MPs and we have been here for a long time.
"This is a very serious matter and I hope the Speaker will ensure this is debated thoroughly."
The select committee today found four Selangor Umno Youth leaders guilty of obstructing Karpal on Feb 26 from entering the House.
Warrants of arrest
The committee chaired by Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has recommended that the four be fined a maximum of RM1,000 each, and MPs who had failed to adhere to the instructions of the committee, to face admonishment.
Its decision is expected to be debated on Thursday.
The opposition MPs had earlier asked for the House to issue warrants of arrest against the assailants instead of forming a committee to investigate the matter.
However, as their request was rejected, the MPs who were called to attend the committee's meeting boycotted it.
The select committee then decided to charge eight members of parliament for failure to cooperate with the inquiry.
Lim Kit Siang (Ipoh Timor-DAP), R Sivarasa (Subang-PKR, left), Kamaruddin Jaffar (Tumpat-PAS) were charged with failing to attend the inquiry, despite being appointed to sit on the committee.
The others - Karpal, Fong Po Kuan (Batu Gajah-DAP, below), Lim Lip Eng (Segambut-DAP), N Gobalakrishnan (Padang Serai-PKR) and Fong Kui Lun (Bukut Bintang-DAP) - were charged for not attending as witnesses.
"The RM1,000 fine conveys the wrong signal. It does not send out the right message to those who think they can come to Parliament and intimidate MPs," said Karpal.
"Unfortunately the inspector-general of police (IGP) thinks that the police have no jurisdiction in the precincts of Parliament to take the necessary action.
"This is ridiculous because if the IGP is right, anyone can come in and commit a murder in Parliament and the police can't interfere."
Karpal said today that the committee should have directed its recommendations to the police and attorney-general's chambers, and instructed a probe under Section 124 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum seven-year jail term for restraining a MP.
"The members of Umno were given a right to be heard before they were fined. As far as I'm concerned we were not given the right to be heard before the committee made the decision to admonish us," he said.
"It is not too late now... if the debate goes through, Parliament can still make the suggestion to the authorities."
He said the current suggestion is counter-productive.
Amend Privileges and Powers Act
Karpal also said that the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 should be amended to ensure that appropriate punishments are included.
Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang commented: "RM1,000 in 1952 was heavy, (but) in 2009 it is completely [...] laughable... a senior veteran MP was openly menaced, threatened and obstructed from carrying out his parliamentary duties. Most of all he is in a wheelchair... the fine certainly is not commensurate with the gravity of the offence."
Tumpat PAS MP Kamarudin Jaffar added that the recommendation of an admonishment is ridiculous as the committee's work was not disrupted by the absence of the witnesses called.
"The committee proceeded and imposed the punishments... so why punish us for not attending?" he asked.
VIDEO | 7 mins
"The punishment is unreasonable to the act committed," said the Bukit Gelugor DAP MP.
He also said that the committee's decision to admonish seven MPs including himself, is an "insult to members of parliament".
Speaking at a press conference at the Parliament lobby, Karpal (right) said that the committee had no powers to evoke such punishments against the MPs."There is no provision under the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 for the committee headed by the Speaker to admonish us... we are not school children, we are MPs and we have been here for a long time.
"This is a very serious matter and I hope the Speaker will ensure this is debated thoroughly."
The select committee today found four Selangor Umno Youth leaders guilty of obstructing Karpal on Feb 26 from entering the House.
Warrants of arrest
The committee chaired by Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has recommended that the four be fined a maximum of RM1,000 each, and MPs who had failed to adhere to the instructions of the committee, to face admonishment.
Its decision is expected to be debated on Thursday.
The opposition MPs had earlier asked for the House to issue warrants of arrest against the assailants instead of forming a committee to investigate the matter.
However, as their request was rejected, the MPs who were called to attend the committee's meeting boycotted it.
The select committee then decided to charge eight members of parliament for failure to cooperate with the inquiry.
Lim Kit Siang (Ipoh Timor-DAP), R Sivarasa (Subang-PKR, left), Kamaruddin Jaffar (Tumpat-PAS) were charged with failing to attend the inquiry, despite being appointed to sit on the committee.The others - Karpal, Fong Po Kuan (Batu Gajah-DAP, below), Lim Lip Eng (Segambut-DAP), N Gobalakrishnan (Padang Serai-PKR) and Fong Kui Lun (Bukut Bintang-DAP) - were charged for not attending as witnesses.
"The RM1,000 fine conveys the wrong signal. It does not send out the right message to those who think they can come to Parliament and intimidate MPs," said Karpal.
"Unfortunately the inspector-general of police (IGP) thinks that the police have no jurisdiction in the precincts of Parliament to take the necessary action.
"This is ridiculous because if the IGP is right, anyone can come in and commit a murder in Parliament and the police can't interfere."
Karpal said today that the committee should have directed its recommendations to the police and attorney-general's chambers, and instructed a probe under Section 124 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum seven-year jail term for restraining a MP."The members of Umno were given a right to be heard before they were fined. As far as I'm concerned we were not given the right to be heard before the committee made the decision to admonish us," he said.
"It is not too late now... if the debate goes through, Parliament can still make the suggestion to the authorities."
He said the current suggestion is counter-productive.
Amend Privileges and Powers Act
Karpal also said that the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952 should be amended to ensure that appropriate punishments are included.
Ipoh Timor MP Lim Kit Siang commented: "RM1,000 in 1952 was heavy, (but) in 2009 it is completely [...] laughable... a senior veteran MP was openly menaced, threatened and obstructed from carrying out his parliamentary duties. Most of all he is in a wheelchair... the fine certainly is not commensurate with the gravity of the offence."Tumpat PAS MP Kamarudin Jaffar added that the recommendation of an admonishment is ridiculous as the committee's work was not disrupted by the absence of the witnesses called.
"The committee proceeded and imposed the punishments... so why punish us for not attending?" he asked.
VIDEO | 7 mins
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