(Ipoh, Monday):
The first thing
Parliament should do when it meets tomorrow to begin its working session after
the official opening by the Yang di Pertuan Agong today is to revoke the
six-month suspension of Fong Po Kuan as MP for Batu Gajah without allowance as
its unfair, unjust and undemocratic , reflecting a worsening instead of
improving of functioning democracy in Malaysia.
The
suspension of a Member of Parliament
without allowance is unheard-of in Commonwealth Parliaments and the question is
why Malaysia should set such a bad precedent instead of setting the good example
of greater democratisation and more respect for human rights in conformity with
the principle and the best practice of parliamentary democracy?
The
motion by the Minister in the Prime
Minister’s Department, Datuk Dr.Rais Yatim on December
11, 2001 to suspend Fong Po Kuan for six months without allowance for publicly criticising the Speaker, Tun Zahir Mohamad Ismail,
for rejecting her motion of urgent, definite public importance on the
Certificate in Practice (CLP) examinations scandal is most petty, unfair and
vindictive, especially as two weeks earlier, Rais had publicly ridiculed the
Speaker as "not privy to the
constitutional procedures" for the appointment of Datuk Abdul Gani Patail
as the new Attorney-General when giving reasons for rejecting DAP MP for Seputeh,
Teresa Koh's motion of urgent, definite public importance on the public
controversy over the constitutionality and propriety of Gani's appointment.
Fong
had merely complained that the Speaker was unfair in rejecting her attempt to
move a motion on the CLP examination scandal, while Rais had shown total
disrespect and contempt in publicly saying that the Speaker did not know what he
was talking about - and Rais should be the first to be punished and even more
severely than Fong
if Malaysia is to create a new precedent of immunity for the Speaker from any
public criticism or disrespect.
If
Parliament is not prepared to uphold democracy and restore justice to Fong Po
Kuan to rescind the motion to
suspend her status as MP for six months without allowance, then the voters of
Ketari should speak loud and clear on behalf of all Malaysian voters in the
forthcoming Ketari by-election to demonstrate their support for Fong Po Kuan and
disapproval of her victimisation.
(11/3/2002)