Motion to debate Uthayakumars asylum move rejected
An emergency motion seeking to debate prominent human rights lawyer P Uthayakumar's application for asylum in Britain was rejected by Parliament today.
Although the speaker agrees that the case of lawyer P Uthayakumar - who has sought asylum in the UK following an assault - is of public importance, he however says it is not urgent to be debated in Parliament.
An emergency motion seeking to debate prominent human rights lawyer P Uthayakumar's application for asylum in Britain was rejected by Parliament today.
The motion was submitted by Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) yesterday.
In his motion, a copy of which was made available to malaysiakini, the PAS MP said the issue has to be debated since it dealt with the life of Uthayakumar who has represented numerous families said to be victims of police brutality.
The lawyer has claimed that he was assaulted and threatened at gunpoint on May 10. He later lodged a police report alleging police personnel of involvement in the assault.
Salahuddin said these two issues were "shameful" to the police and have to be debated urgently in the House.
Veracity of media reports
Rejecting the motion this morning, Speaker Dr Mohamed Zahir Ismail explained in a written reply that although he agreed that Uthayakumar's case was of public importance, the House however could not ascertain the veracity of media reports pertaining to Uthayakumar's case.
"We could not confirm who assaulted him - whether it was the police or not, or who smashed his car's windscreen," Mohamed Zahir said.
He also told Salahuddin to let the police investigate the report made by Uthayakumar and to give them time to do so and therefore "the motion is not that urgent to be debated."
Uthayakumar has sought 'social asylum' in Britain upon landing at Heathrow airport on May 20, on grounds that his "life was in danger" and that "members of the Malaysian police are trying to kill him".
A vocal critic of police abuses, the lawyer claimed that he was assaulted and also threatened at gunpoint on May 10. He suffered injuries and his car was also damaged.
According to Police Watch and Human Rights Committee - a non-governmental organisation that looks into cases of police brutalities - the incidents prompted him to seek temporary asylum until the government and the Malaysian police could guarantee his safety.
The British High Commission officials meanwhile were reported to have said that they have not received information concerning Uthayakumar's application.
