DEWAN Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul has urged Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan to furnish evidence of his claims that two Bersatu MPs had tried to convince him to support the government.
According to Johari, he had read “word by word” Wan Saiful’s allegations in Parliament last week in the Hansard and had requested that he provide clear evidence to his claims.
“I will deal with it one by one, we have a clear mechanism. I have read word by word in the Hansard, and I have written to him to ask for facts on what he had said, with clear evidence,” he said in Dewan Rakyat on Monday (March 25).
“Then, I will call Gua Musang (Mohd Azizi Abu Naim) and Tanjong Karang (Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanafi), and if they are found guilty, both of them will be referred to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee.”
Johari said he would go through the Hansard record before making a decision on the action to be taken against those at fault, be it Wan Saiful or Mohd Azizi and Zulkafperi.
“After referring to the Hansard minutes on what Tasek Gelugor has said, I feel what was said by both MPs, the prime minister and the government was quite serious,” he remarked.
“This House is not a court but we function by the guidelines of the Standing Orders and the Federal Constitution. Hence, a decision must be made.”
Johari noted that the allegations were quite heavy and also involved the dignity and credibility of the MPs, the prime minister and Parliament.
Johari said he had two options whether to obtain an explanation from those involved and refer them to the Rights and Privileges Committee or to establish a new committee under Standing Orders 80A.
“The penalty will be heavy because I have given multiple warnings and reminders that political issues should be debated outside, not in the Dewan Rakyat,” he stressed.
“The time in this honourable house should be used to discuss, negotiate and debate on issues concerning the country and its people.”
On March 21, Wan Saiful alleged that he was lured by Zulkafperi and Azizi to influence his behaviour, including the speeches to be delivered in Parliament.
Following this, he urged for the establishment of a Parliament select committee under Standing Order 80A to identify and penalise individuals who had made offers to influence the behaviour of lawmakers in the Dewan Rakyat. – March 25, 2024
Main pic credit: Bernama
