KUCHING, July 19: The Parliament Speaker’s (Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun) rejection of the motion to discuss the seizure of Petronas’ subsidiaries by the Sulu Sultanate’s descendants on the ground of sub judice is most “absurd” and “ridiculous”.
According to Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, first and foremost, the matter is in litigation in a foreign court in France which is not within the Malaysia’s judiciary system.
As such, in this case, the basis of the sub judice doctrine that the debate in Parliament may affect a judicial process is too remote and far-fetched, he claims.
“How can a debate in Malaysia Parliament affect the minds of the judges in France? It just simply does not make sense,” Chong questioned in a press statement today.
Secondly, he said, Petronas is a government owned company and all Malaysians have a share in Petronas.
“What better place would it be than the Parliament where all the 222 people’s representatives meet for a debate and discussion of this matter which affects the property of all Malaysians?
“As such, MPs have all the rights to discuss the matter in Parliament and the people of Malaysia has all the rights to hear how the present government has brought about such a disastrous outcome. The Speaker should not stand in our way,” said Chong, who is also Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chief.
Thirdly, he pointed out that the way the Sulu Sultanate’s descendants went about claiming their rights over Petronas’ subsidiaries’ assets bypassed our legal system.
The Sultanate’s descendants’ claim, he said, was based upon its alleged rights over the land in Sabah which is tantamount to a challenge to Malaysia’s national sovereignty over its government’s rights on land.
“The claim is thus an affront to our national sovereignty. In such matter of national interest, Parliament is the most appropriate forum to discuss it.
“I call upon the Prime Minister to be gracious and responsible enough to submit a ministerial motion in Parliament to have the matter fully discussed and debated.
“All Malaysians have a right to know what actually went wrong. The Prime Minister should not hide behind the cloak of the Speaker’s chair,” said Chong.
Kota Belud MP Isnaraissah Munirab had on yesterday tabled a private member motion in the Parliament to debate on the issue involving Petronas’ assets been seized by the descendants of Sulu Sultanate.
The motion however was turned down by Azhar Azizan on the grounds that the debate may be sub judice as the case is in litigation in the French courts. — DayakDaily
