KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — A PKR leader today labelled de facto law minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman as ignorant for criticising an MP who sued Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia for rejecting his questions in Parliament.
Bagan Serai MP N. Surendran said Azalina’s claim that the suit made a mockery of Parliament was baseless, arguing there was legal precedent in the case of Datuk Seri Abdul Zambry Abdul Kadir versus then Perak state legislative assembly speaker S Sivakumar.
“Azalina accuses Hee of ‘ failing to comprehend’ Article of 63(1) of the constitution which states that the validity of proceedings in Parliament cannot be questioned,” Surendran said in a statement, referring to Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian who is suing Pandikar and Dewan Rakyat secretary Datuk Roosme Hamzah for rejecting two of his questions on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
“However, Azalina herself appears to be ignorant of the decision of the Federal Court in Dato Zambry Kadir v Sivakumar in 2009 which decided that the court can enquire into decisions of the legislative body that are grossly illegal or violate constitutional mandate,” Surendran added.
Zambry, the current Perak mentri besar, filed the suit against Sivakumar during the Barisan Nasional (BN) takeover of Perak from Pakatan Rakyat. The power grab was triggered by the defection of two PR state assemblymen.
The federal opposition coalition, which has since disbanded and succeeded by Pakatan Harapan now, had won the state in the 2008 general election.
Opposition leaders had described the takeover as a “coup”.
Surendran also said Azalina’s attack on Hee was unbecoming of a minister.
“It is shocking and without precedent for this government minister to lash out at Hee Loy Sian, merely because he filed an action in court,” he said.
“The right of access to courts and justice is guaranteed by Article 8 of the Constitution. Bringing an action in court can never be a wrongful or ‘ disgraceful’ act.
“A government minister has no business putting such pressure upon a litigant before the court such as Hee, by way of public statements,” the PKR leader added.
