POLICE today began their questioning of over 100 MPs for protesting at Dataran Merdeka on Monday after they were barred from entering Parliament.

Opposition MPs Lim Lip Eng (Kepong), Maszlee Malik (Simpang Renggam), Tony Pua (Damansara) and Fahmi Fadzil (Lembah Pantai) were the first four to be questioned in Kuala Lumpur this morning, at the Dang Wangi police headquarters.

Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman are to be questioned this afternoon.

Lim told reporters after being questioned that what happened on Monday was not a gathering and that it was the police who had stopped lawmakers from entering their place of work.

Pua added that police should look into more serious cases instead of preventing MPs from doing their jobs.

Fahmi said various MPs have lodged police reports over being barred from entering Parliament.

“I just want to emphasise that on July 13 last year, when Parliament began its third term, it approved a motion by the Home Minister in the Dewan Rakyat that the Inspector-General of Police must ensure that MPs face no obstacles in carrying out their duties,” Fahmi said.

He added that MPs had left some personal belongings in the Dewan Rakyat chamber and police should have at least allowed them to retrieve their items.

Police received 206 reports over the gathering at Dataran Merdeka, and plan to investigate 107 MPs.

It is learnt that some lawmakers will be called up by police in their respective states.

Parliament had been scheduled to sit on Monday, but was called off in a notice from the Dewan Rakyat secretary to all MPs, citing concerns about Covid-19 infections that were detected in Parliament in the past week.

Critics accused the government of using Covid-19 as an excuse to avoid explaining its cancellation of emergency ordinances without the Yang Di-Pertuan’s consent and without having tabled them for debate.

Opposition MPs nevertheless attempted to enter Parliament on Monday and were prevented by police.

The three-day Dewan Negara sitting scheduled to begin yesterday has also been called off. – August 4, 2021.