Dewan Rakyat rejects 'hypothetical' question
Mikini- Fauwaz Abdul Aziz Jun 25, 08 3:53pm
An attempt to seek clarification on the status of Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairperson P Waytha Moorthy has not even made it into the Dewan Rakyat Order Sheet.
Tian Chua (PKR-Batu) said the House secretary told him in a letter yesterday that the question had been rejected under Standing Order 23(1)(h) - on grounds that it is ‘hypothetical’.The provision states that ‘a question shall not be asked for the purpose of obtaining an expression of opinion or settlement of an abstract legal case or an answer to a hypothetical proposition’.
Disclosing this today, Chua (left) said he had submitted a question for Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar as to whether Waytha Moorthy - currently in self-imposed exile in the UK - would be arrested upon returning home and, if so, under which provision of law.Chua said that, as a citizen, Waytha Moorthy (left) has the right to know whether he will be allowed to return to his country without facing arrest.“His fellow Hindraf leaders have been detained under the (Internal Security Act) ISA and have not been released despite there being no evidence to show that they pose a threat to national security,” Chua told reporters in the Parliament lobby.
Chua was referring to the arrest of five Hindraf leaders last December after a mammoth rally in Kuala Lumpur that saw about 30,000 Indian Malaysians protesting social, economic and religious discrimination and marginalisation.
He cited the release of Sri Lankan national BSA Tahir last week after a four-year detention under ISA despite having been tagged as being involved in “international terrorism”.Chua said the situation of Waytha Moorthy similarly reflects the government’s lack of transparency and accountability.“I think this is not fair and casts a dark shadow over citizens,” he said.“I call on the home minister to give a clear answer as to whether Waytha Moorthy is regarded as a criminal or not.
Citizens have no guarantee that they are able to return to Malaysia. This is a violation of human rights.” Also present was S Manikavasagam (PKR-Kapar), who said the government’s charge that the Hindraf 5 were connected to the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Elam separatists had yet to be backed by any evidence.
Also view the full interview by PB Tian Chua and YB Manikavasagam at Parliament lobby on the above issue at http://youtube.com/watch?v=C6MZ1YtnX4Y
Source of report - http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/85030
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