THE government is closely monitoring the trial involving two Malaysians at the United States Naval Station court in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said.

“We are monitoring the trial and the development of the case,” he said after handing over contributions to frontliners at the Kuantan health office today.

He was commenting on the trial involving Mohammed Nazir Lep and Mohammed Farik Amin who were brought before the court on August 30.

The two Malaysians are alleged to be linked to the deadly bombing incident in Bali, Indonesia, about 19 years ago.

They have been detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp since 2006 along with Indonesian Encep Nurjaman, also known as Hambali.

According to the US Office of Military Commissions, the three had been scheduled to be charged in court in February, but it was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Saifuddin also said he strongly supports the parliamentary transformation proposal made by Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He hoped the matter will become reality for Parliament to be a truly independent and debates can be held without external interference.

“Among the things that can be done is to revive the Parliamentary Service Act so that the secretary of the Dewan Negara and the secretary of the Dewan Rakyat as well as the Parliament chief administrator are not appointed from among civil servants,” he said.

“Through this transformation, we will have an independent parliamentary service commission that is responsible for recruiting parliamentary officers and staff.” – Bernama, September 4, 2021.