Anwar attacks bill in parliamentary debut
Malaysiakini.com
Aug 28, 2008
Syed Jaymal Zahiid

Newly sworn-in Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim wasted no time getting down to business in parliament today.
MCPX

No mushy hellos to former Barisan Nasional colleagues or sentimental thank-yous in his first speech after a 10-year absence, but instead, the 61-year straightaway hit the attack button, firing the first shot for his Pakatan Rakayat alliance against the ruling coalition.

anwar ibrahim opposition leader parliament pc 280808 03“What is in question right now is the credibility of the BN-led government for tabling the DNA Identification bill for second reading without any proper consultation with experts of the subject,” he asked.

“Everyone except the BN members is questioning the bill. The bill can only be agreed upon in the context of malevolent politics and differed by all the experts out there,” Anwar said.

The former deputy prime minister was reponding to questions raised by Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak).

The Barisan MP had questioned the Bar Council’s recently issued and strongly-worded statement against the tabling of the controversial bill.

The DNA bill was rushed through for second reading on Tuesday at the expense of another controversial bill, the University and University Colleges Act amendment bill, which had to be postponed.

The Barisan's urgency to push the DNA bill for debate sparked criticisms from opposition MPs and the Bar Council that it was politically motivated and targeted against Anwar. Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar has denied their allegations.

The DNA bill was introduced just a few weeks after Anwar, charged with sodomising an ex-aide, refused to provide doctors with his DNA sample. Anwar, who won the Permatang Pauh by-election on Tuesday despite intense mudslinging, has pleaded not guilty to the allegations he says were framed by his political enemies.

House goes berserk

dr hatta ramli 01Dr Hatta Ramli (PAS-Kuala Krai) also chipped in, attacking the government for not addressing the loopholes in the bill without consultation with independent experts on the subject.

“This malicious bill is apparently targeted towards a certain person and that targeted person is now in the House with us today,” he said.

Hatta's words roused Pakatan colleague and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang to jump up and join in the attack against the Barisan-led government.

“There is an apparent sign of lack of confidence in government institutions which have failed to lead by example and when this happens, will events like the blockade of the website Malaysia Today occur or will we see a major crackdown on other internet news portal as well?” Lim asked.

lim kit siang 03Lim's comments sparked a verbal scuffle among the MPs, turning the usually sedate hall into a mini-war zone as legislators from both camps vied to speak.

Calm returned after a while, following advice from deputy speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar to MPs to settle down and focus on the debate rather than fighting with each other.
 
Yesterday Malaysiakini reported that the popular and influential news portal, Malaysia Today, had been blocked by regulator Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

MCMC chief operating officer Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi said the website was blocked  “because we found that some of the comments on the website were insensitive bordering on incitement."

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