Among the parliamentary business for the 2,000 budget meeting is a private member’s bill which I had submitted to amend the Rent Control (Repeal) 1997 Act to extend the transitional period for the abolition of rent control on 31st December 1999 by another five years, i.e. from 31st December 1999 to 31st December 2,004.
I have also given notice for a substantive motion on judicial integrity, focusing in particular on serious allegations of judicial improprieties made in the Asian Wall Street Journal (AWSJ) defamation case involving the Chief Justice, Tun Eusoff Chin and Court of Appeal judge, Datuk Mohtar Sidin, and calling on both to appear before Parliament to answer the allegations.
During question time on Monday, I will be raising the issue of arsenic poisoning of former Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and demand a Royal Commission of Inquiry to conduct full investigations, as the public have lost confidence in the police handling after Anwar’s "black-eye" as a result of the brutal assault by the then Inspector-General of Police.
Next Tuesday, I would be asking the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi on the establishment of a Police Ombudsman to restore public confidence in the independence, professionalism and integrity of the police which suffered its latest blow with the trigger-happy shooting and killing of Dr. Tai Eng Teck, 29. I will also be asking the Home Minister to improve the quality of the police force through salary adjustments and more stringent recruitment procedures to ensure a more responsible, humane and just police force.
Next Wednesday, I will specifically ask the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Datuk Dr. Ting Chew Peh whether the government would extend the Rent Control (Repeal) Act for another five years.
On Thursday, I will ask the Home Minister to give an update of police investigations into Anwar Ibrahim’s four police reports about corruption and abuses of power in high political places, naming in particular the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the first Finance Minister, Tun Daim Zainuddin, the Minister for International Trade and Industry, Datuk Paduka Rafidah Aziz, the two highest law officers of the government, the Attorney General Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah and Datuk Gani Patail, and the former Malacca Chief Minister, Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Cik.
For the forthcoming meeting of Parliament, PAS Deputy President and MP for Marang has again given notice for a private member’s bill to make apostasy a capital offence among Muslims.
This is not the first time that the PAS deputy president Haji Abdul Hadi Awang has given notice to move such a private member’s bill. All his previous attempts to move such a private member’s bill in the last few parliamentary meetings had failed as no time was allocated, and I expect the same thing to happen in the coming parliamentary meeting.
However, if the bill comes up for a vote, DAP MPs will vote against
it.
DAP’s co-operation with PAS is to restore justice, freedom, democracy
and good governance and not to establish an Islamic State or pass
law to make apostasy a capital offence.
The common objectives of DAP, PAS, Keadilan and PRM to restore justice, freedom, democracy and good governance would be spelt out in a common election manifesto which would be released later this month.
The manifesto covers a wide spectrum of nation-building issues - political, economic, educational, social, environmental, moral, etc.
For instance, to restore democracy and justice, the common manifesto
will make concrete proposals, including strengthening Parliament to vet
the government’s nominee for the positions of the Attorney-General, the
Chief Justice and other judges, the Inspector-General of Police, the Bank
Negara Governor before their appointment by the Yang di Pertuan Agong;
Guarantee freedom of the press;
Review appointment of Senators; Make the Anti-Corruption Agency autonomous
and directly responsible to Parliament; establishing a truly independent
and credible Election Commission and the reduction of the voting age from
21 to 18 years.
(15/10/99)