My discretion to support Najib’s court exemption, says speaker

Kamles Kumar Ragananthini Vethasalam Kamles Kumar, Ragananthini Vethasalam Updated 5 years ago · Published on 20 Jul 2020 12:42PM · 5 Comments

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun says it is his decision to write to the courts to allow former prime minister Najib Razak to attend his debate slot as it clashed with the 1MDB trial. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, July 20, 2020.

NEW Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun said it is his discretion to write to the courts in support of former prime minister Najib Razak attending Dewan Rakyat last week.

Azhar said Najib was scheduled to debate the royal address Thursday evening, so he wrote to the judge asking him to defer the court date as legislative and Parliament are viewed the same here.

“I was made to understand Najib put in an application to be exempted from court but was denied. We have a doctrine of division of powers. The executive, the Parliament and legislative are viewed as the same here.

“In the view that his debate slot was that evening, I requested the judge to allow Najib to attend. This is my discretion,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Chang Lih Kang (Tg Malim-Pakatan Harapan) questioned Azhar‘s decision to write the letter when he could have rearranged Najib’s debate slot so it did not clash with the court date.

Last Wednesday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court denied Najib’s application to be exempted from court on Thursday from his 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial.

His lawyers submitted the letter from Azhar requesting for Najib to attend the Dewan Rakyat sitting instead.

Azhar, better known as Art Harun, also courted controversy when several opposition lawmakers questioned him on their seating arrangements in Dewan Rakyat.

RSN Rayer (Jelutong-PH) questioned why Pakatan Harapan seats were poorly placed but the Perikatan Nasional lawmakers were sitting comfortably without social distancing.

“These are not comfortable seats here. Is this a way of restraining speeches and debates from PH? This is not fair,” he said.

Lawmakers Maria Chin Abdullah (Petaling Jaya-PH) and Thomas Su Keong Sing (Kampar-PH) echoed these sentiments.

Azhar responded by saying he did an observation from last week’s session and this were the improvements he had made.

“I did an observation and changed it up, it is easier to see and for you to see me. When you want to answer questions, you’re also visible.

“I did this with good intentions. Before I made this decision, the Dewan Rakyat secretary called up all the party whips to ask for their consent.

“There is no unfairness here, I assure you of that.” – July 20, 2020.

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Comments

  • One piece of art has been bought and fully paid for. Pity it turned out to be a piece of trash.

    Posted 5 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

  • One of those disappointments in life....

    Posted 5 years ago by Harit das · Reply

  • Good that he is taken out of election commission if not there again he will use the discretionary powers when the results happened to be narrow margin. Truly we thought Art was a perfect gentleman suit well to such job and now he is leaning more towards the Backdoor Government.

    Posted 5 years ago by Swaminaidu Venkatasamy · Reply

  • I must say that the new Speaker has not acquitted himself well thus far and could have damaged his well cultivated image of a person with integrity and fairness. But ot be fair, lets give him a little more time first. Then his real intentions will show clearly.

    Posted 5 years ago by Mike Mok · Reply

  • Art why can't you just say that you're answerable to your pay master, we would except that uncontested.

    Posted 5 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply