KUALA LUMPUR – The Dewan Rakyat today witnessed another fiery shouting match as Deputy Speaker Alice Lau (Lanang-PH) clashed head-on with Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee (Beluran-PN) for “ignoring” a Standing Order.
Kiandee kicked up a fuss and accused Lau of “bulldozing” through his attempt to raise a Standing Order right before the passing of the second reading of the Jurisdictional Immunities of Foreign States Bill 2023.
“This is unfair! I wanted to raise Standing Order 54!” the Bersatu vice-president was heard shouting amid the uproar triggered by the passing of the bill’s second reading after Lau held a voice vote, during which strong voices were heard supporting and rejecting the bill.
Standing Order 54(1) stipulates that a bill may be referred to a select committee before its second reading, while 54(2) states that if the bill has been read a second time, a motion to refer the bill to the committee must be made immediately after the bill is read and decided without debate.
“We (the opposition) understand and support the bill but there are improvements needed to Clauses 32 and 33, which is why I wanted to propose Standing Order 54 for the House to bring the bill to a select committee’s consideration,” Kiandee said.
Clauses 32 and 33 of the bill, which was earlier a heated point of contention from opposition figures, empower the prime minister to exempt any foreign country from specific provisions of the act as well as enact regulations deemed necessary for the act’s implementation.
In response, Lau merely said the House has agreed to move on to the third reading of the bill, to which an apparently irate Kiandee said: “I asked you (raised the Standing Order) just now, but you bulldozed the process!”
“Let it be recorded in this House that you bulldozed the process. I was there (part of the government) before. When the opposition raised the same Standing Order, we’d give space for the bill to be brought to the select committee. You’re wrong!”
As DAP’s R.S.N Rayer (Jelutong-PH) was heard shouting in Lau’s defence, the Speaker’s Chair was taken over by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor (Cameron Highlands-BN), who urged MPs to collect their wits as he attempted to return order to the House.
Kiandee then directed his complaints to Ramli, saying: “When Standing Order 54(1) and (2) are cited, it must be accepted by the speaker, especially since I stood up before the second reading was passed.”
“You cannot deprive me of my right. (The request for a bill to be referred to a select committee) is allowed by the Standing Orders, but the speaker (Lau) did not allow me to speak.
“It was as if I didn’t exist here! I know I’m small-sized, hard to see, but I have my rights under the Standing Orders! I want it to be recorded that my rights were deprived by the speaker!”
Ramli then “strongly” suggested that Kiandee submit a motion under the relevant Dewan Rakyat rules, noting that while he understands the MP’s “predicament”, the issue at hand did not occur while he was in the Speaker’s Chair.
“I must make it clear that what happened just now was not in front of me. The decision has already been made by the speaker before me,” he said.
“What I would suggest is that you (Ronald) propose a motion so that whatever predicament (faced) or words uttered in the House can be recorded and made into evidence. I strongly suggest this.”
Impassioned barbs were earlier exchanged in the lower House as opposition figures raised concerns over the potentially wide powers granted to the prime minister under the bill.
Several MPs, including PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (Kota Bharu-PN) and his Bersatu counterpart Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (Larut-PN), had interjected law minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said’s (Pengerang-BN) winding-up speech on the bill to voice their grouses.
“It is clearly stated that the power to exempt (foreign countries) and make regulations is afforded to the prime minister, not to the prime minister in a foreign state immunity council,” said Takiyuddin, who is also opposition whip.
“Whatever explanation is given by the minister, it is clear that if not absolute power, then very wide power will be given to the prime minister. (This is) despite laws in other nations giving the power to their heads of state.
“Why is our law giving power to the prime minister and not the Yang di-Pertuan Agong?” he questioned, with opposition leader Hamzah echoing similar sentiments.
Hamzah asserted that the phrasing of the clause could lead to confusion and misinterpretation, stressing that the government today has a duty to ensure that the law is not abused by future administrations.
“I’m confident that Tambun (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) won’t do anything to cause our nation’s sovereignty to be questioned and we support that, but we still want the bill to be improved.
“In the event of a future prime minister being squeezed by superpowers…with the powers under this bill, he can use these powers and MPs on that side (government) will be responsible for it.”
Azalina then attempted to clarify the matter by saying that the prime minister will be chairing the council proposed by the bill to deliberate and make decisions on matters related to foreign state immunity.
However, parts of the minister’s explanations on the issue were repeatedly drowned out by opposition MPs who shouted over her speech.
The bill, which was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in November last year, was passed with a majority voice vote after Azalina tabled a third reading. – March 19, 2024