IMMUNITY doesn’t mean MPs can say anything they want in the House, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said on the motion to suspend Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal (pic) (PN-Machang) for six months.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) said debates should be factual and not based on poison pen letters.

“We are responsible for what we say. If we refer to official documents, the government has no issue, as what’s wrong is wrong.

“But don’t cite poison pen letters, as it will open the floodgates where everyone in the hall does the same,” she said following debates on the motion to suspend the Perikatan lawmaker yesterday.

Wan Ahmad Fayshal, who is Bersatu Youth chief, was slapped with a six-month suspension from the Dewan Rakyat effective yesterday.

This is the first six-month suspension for an MP during the 15th Parliament session. He is also suspended from attending Parliamentary Special Select Committee meetings and will miss debates on Budget 2025.

The Machang MP cited a letter when debating the Human Rights Commission’s (Suhakam) 2021 and 2022 reports on July 1.

The letter allegedly revealed the “mastermind” behind the privatisation of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad as an Employees Provident Fund employee, alongside the individual’s supposed ill-treatment of colleagues.

The suspension motion was tabled by Azalina. It was debated by MPs before being passed via a bloc vote.

A total of 110 MPs voted in favour, while 63 were opposed. Three abstained from voting, while 46 were absent.

Azalina stressed that an MP’s duty is to create laws and not accuse others based on poison pen letters.

“If that’s the case, we might as well sit in the canteen and debate the letter.

“However, in the House, if we don’t make a decision, it will set a bad example of culture among both government and Opposition MPs,” she said.

She expressed sympathy with Machang, saying it is normal for MPs to express emotions during debates.

“But we must speak based on facts. If Machang apologised or questioned the authenticity of the letter, there is no issue as you qualified your statement.

“But he sat on it while things were going viral. It’s as if Parliament endorses what you said,” she said.

“Just because you are an MP, don’t overstep the law. People voted for us and respect us.”

Moments after his suspension, Wan Ahmad Fayshal said, “I will not surrender” before his microphone was switched off.

In a Facebook post later yesterday, Wan Ahmad Fayshal said he was not given the chance to defend himself in the House, describing his suspension as a “dark spot” in Malaysia’s parliamentary democracy.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/19/immunity-does-not-give-mps-free-reign-in-the-house