Umno Youth angrily mobs Karpal in Parliament

By : V. Vasudevan & Eileen Ng

DEWAN RAKYAT, Thurs:

7:07pm UPDATE: DAP chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh was confronted by a group of Selangor Umno Youth members at the Parliament tower block this afternoon but this soon culminated in a shouting match and a scuffle that led MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng to having his shirt tugged.

The group had been waiting at the parliament tower for Karpal and as soon as he arrived they surrounded him and started heckling him over his warning to Pemuda Umno yesterday.

He accused Umno Youth of having sent him two bullets while debating the Royal Address.

"Where did the celaka Pemuda Umno fellows get the bullets?" he had asked while pronouncing himself not afraid.

The drama started when Karpal was confronted by the 22-member group comprising Selangor Umno Youth members as the MP was making his way into the parliament's tower block at 2.45pm.



The group had been waiting for Karpal since 1.30pm.Noticing the veteran politician, the group surrounded the wheelchair-bound Karpal and demanded that he apologise for remarks made against Umno Youth in the House on yesterday.

However, Karpal refused to recant his allegation that the wing had sent bullets in the mail to him recently, as well as using the term “celaka” (damn) to berate the movement.

Pakatan Rakyat MPs - Fong Kui Loon (DAP-Bukit Bintang), N. Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai) and Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), who just came back from lunch, went to Karpal’s aid after being informed by parliament staff of the incident.

They claimed they were roughed up by the mob, with their bodies pushed and shoved by several Umno members. "One even pulled my tie. At one point, I nearly fell into the fountain," Lim claimed.

However, the trio manage to wheel Karpal into the House, while the Umno Youth group continued to heckle and shout at them.

Moments later, Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Bukit Bendera) tried to cool down the situation but he was greeted by more shouts.

"Who are you? Go away," shouted several members of the mob.
.
Karpal's son, Gobind Singh (DAP-Puchong), who sprinted to his father's aid, traded verbal blows with the group. At one point, Gobind and a member of the mob had to be restrained by their respective members to prevent fisticuffs.

The situation improved after BN Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chief Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing appeared and urged the group to disperse.

"Please go back and respect the House. We can't have such incidents happening here," he told them.

Gombak Umno Youth chief Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, who was part of the mob, told reporters that they are Umno members “willing to die defending the party.”

"He (Karpal) must stop insulting the Rulers and the Malays," he said. “Our patience is running out.”

Karpal immediately took up the matter in Chambers and demanded to know how the group made it into the compound.

"What security is the House providing?" he asked speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who promised to investigate and assured members that everything was done to protect them.

"I am disabled but not intimidated by this. The police were there and they just watched," Karpal claimed.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said not agreeing with Karpal was not an excuse to get physical with him. "We must come up with a ruling that all parliamentarians must be protected," he said.

Later, at a Press conference at the Parliament lobby, Karpal remained defiant despite the scare. “I maybe in a wheelchair but I will not be cowed or intimidated by anyone,” the MP dubbed the Tiger of Jelutong said.

The Press conference was also attended by Pakatan Rakyat leaders and members. Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP parliamentary leader, Lim Kit Siang were at Karpal's side.

The MP for Bukit Gelugor also declared he would not apologise for the terms he had used while debating the Royal Address yesterday.

“There is no question of apology," he said. "They abused and threatened me and insisted I apologise. I said that was out and told them back off. They were becoming menacing and they looked like they were ready to hit me."

Karpal likened the group antics as to that of brazen gangsters. “As an MP, I have duties which I will carry out without fear,” he said.

Karpal also criticised parliament security. “Each time we start the sitting, there is a motion by the Home Minister to ensure that members have safe passage to parliament and are safe from any disturbances while here. How could they allow them to enter the parliament compound? Where is the security?” he asked.

Despite the incident, Karpal did not lose his sense of humour. “Singh is King. I should be paid royalty for promoting the movie (the Bollywood movie). I will share the royalty with you all (looking at the press),” he quipped.

Karpal had twice referred to the title of the movie in passing as a way of reinforcing his credentials as a fearless man.

Opposition leader, Anwar said he was disappointed with the uncultured behaviour of the Umno Youth members. “I demand fast action from the authorities that MPs are safe and their security assured,” he said.

Lim said this was the first time the Parliament history that such an incident had occurred. “It is shameful and outrageous. It is in violation of parliament sanctity. This shows how ugly Malaysian politics have become,” he said.

Lim called on Umno Youth Chief Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein and Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to publicly apologise for this outrage.

Umno Youth angrily mobs Karpal in Parliament

By : V. Vasudevan & Eileen Ng

DEWAN RAKYAT, Thurs:

7:07pm UPDATE: DAP chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh was confronted by a group of Selangor Umno Youth members at the Parliament tower block this afternoon but this soon culminated in a shouting match and a scuffle that led MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng to having his shirt tugged.

The group had been waiting at the parliament tower for Karpal and as soon as he arrived they surrounded him and started heckling him over his warning to Pemuda Umno yesterday.

He accused Umno Youth of having sent him two bullets while debating the Royal Address.

"Where did the celaka Pemuda Umno fellows get the bullets?" he had asked while pronouncing himself not afraid.

The drama started when Karpal was confronted by the 22-member group comprising Selangor Umno Youth members as the MP was making his way into the parliament's tower block at 2.45pm.



The group had been waiting for Karpal since 1.30pm.Noticing the veteran politician, the group surrounded the wheelchair-bound Karpal and demanded that he apologise for remarks made against Umno Youth in the House on yesterday.

However, Karpal refused to recant his allegation that the wing had sent bullets in the mail to him recently, as well as using the term “celaka” (damn) to berate the movement.

Pakatan Rakyat MPs - Fong Kui Loon (DAP-Bukit Bintang), N. Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Padang Serai) and Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), who just came back from lunch, went to Karpal’s aid after being informed by parliament staff of the incident.

They claimed they were roughed up by the mob, with their bodies pushed and shoved by several Umno members. "One even pulled my tie. At one point, I nearly fell into the fountain," Lim claimed.

However, the trio manage to wheel Karpal into the House, while the Umno Youth group continued to heckle and shout at them.

Moments later, Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Bukit Bendera) tried to cool down the situation but he was greeted by more shouts.

"Who are you? Go away," shouted several members of the mob.
.
Karpal's son, Gobind Singh (DAP-Puchong), who sprinted to his father's aid, traded verbal blows with the group. At one point, Gobind and a member of the mob had to be restrained by their respective members to prevent fisticuffs.

The situation improved after BN Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chief Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing appeared and urged the group to disperse.

"Please go back and respect the House. We can't have such incidents happening here," he told them.

Gombak Umno Youth chief Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, who was part of the mob, told reporters that they are Umno members “willing to die defending the party.”

"He (Karpal) must stop insulting the Rulers and the Malays," he said. “Our patience is running out.”

Karpal immediately took up the matter in Chambers and demanded to know how the group made it into the compound.

"What security is the House providing?" he asked speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who promised to investigate and assured members that everything was done to protect them.

"I am disabled but not intimidated by this. The police were there and they just watched," Karpal claimed.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said not agreeing with Karpal was not an excuse to get physical with him. "We must come up with a ruling that all parliamentarians must be protected," he said.

Later, at a Press conference at the Parliament lobby, Karpal remained defiant despite the scare. “I maybe in a wheelchair but I will not be cowed or intimidated by anyone,” the MP dubbed the Tiger of Jelutong said.

The Press conference was also attended by Pakatan Rakyat leaders and members. Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP parliamentary leader, Lim Kit Siang were at Karpal's side.

The MP for Bukit Gelugor also declared he would not apologise for the terms he had used while debating the Royal Address yesterday.

“There is no question of apology," he said. "They abused and threatened me and insisted I apologise. I said that was out and told them back off. They were becoming menacing and they looked like they were ready to hit me."

Karpal likened the group antics as to that of brazen gangsters. “As an MP, I have duties which I will carry out without fear,” he said.

Karpal also criticised parliament security. “Each time we start the sitting, there is a motion by the Home Minister to ensure that members have safe passage to parliament and are safe from any disturbances while here. How could they allow them to enter the parliament compound? Where is the security?” he asked.

Despite the incident, Karpal did not lose his sense of humour. “Singh is King. I should be paid royalty for promoting the movie (the Bollywood movie). I will share the royalty with you all (looking at the press),” he quipped.

Karpal had twice referred to the title of the movie in passing as a way of reinforcing his credentials as a fearless man.

Opposition leader, Anwar said he was disappointed with the uncultured behaviour of the Umno Youth members. “I demand fast action from the authorities that MPs are safe and their security assured,” he said.

Lim said this was the first time the Parliament history that such an incident had occurred. “It is shameful and outrageous. It is in violation of parliament sanctity. This shows how ugly Malaysian politics have become,” he said.

Lim called on Umno Youth Chief Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein and Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to publicly apologise for this outrage.

Special Parliament session on Gaza Monday

Putra Jaya: The Cabinet has agreed that Parliament hold a special session on the Gaza onslaught next Monday, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

He said the special session would be held in the morning.

The Government as well as opposition Members of Parliament had been reported condemning the Israeli aggression and called for a ceasefire and an end to the crisis which began on Dec 27.

The Government had also called for an Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly to address the issue.

Rais said Malaysia would proceed with its initiative to call for the meeting if the United Nations Security Council failed to resolve the crisis within the next 48 hours.

Rais was speaking after attending a delegation meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Naji Otri at the Prime Minister's Office, here.

The Foreign Minister said the UN emergency special session could be convened if the majority of the 192 member countries agreed to do so.

"It doesn't need two-thirds majority. The UN clause stated a majority only," he said.

Rais explained that the Security Council could not veto the emergency special session because its council members could only veto decision made within its framework only.

However, he cautioned that the United States might use its influence so that the emergency special session could not take place.

Another obstacle, Rais said, was that any matter related to war must be addressed by the Security Council first and could only be brought to the General Assembly after the Council had exhausted all avenues.

Malaysia, he said, did not give up its hope for the emergency special session to be convened. "It is better than we just sit down and do nothing," he added.

On another matter, Rais said the Syrian Prime Minister, who is on a four-day official visit to Malaysia beginning yesterday, had decided to extend the visit by another one and a half day to visit Melaka or probably Iskandar, Johor.

Parliament: Protect whistleblowers from litigation

By LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: A mechanism is needed to ensure that members of the public who report incidents of corruption are protected from being sued.

Loke Siew Fook (DAP-Rasah) said out that a woman who had lodged a report with the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) against a policeman for bribery was later sued by the policeman for defamation after the court dismissed the case on technicalities.

“This will not encourage people to make reports,” he said during the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Bill 2008 debate on Tuesday.

When Mohd Nor Othman (BN-Hulu Terengganu) asked what would happen if a false report was made, Loke said there were provisions in the MACC Bill to penalise the culprit.

Loke argued that the punishment meted out against those who make false reports was unjust compared with the punishment for those who allegedly committed the offence.

“Graft offenders will have to pay five times the amount they bribed, but those who make a false report have to pay RM100,000,” he said.

“We don’t want to create space for abuse. It is the role of the MACC to investigate and take action against such abuse,” he said.

He also suggested that the MACC offices be made accessible to the public, as was the practice with the Independent Commission against Corruption in Hong Kong, and that the building be covered with dark glass to ensure confidentiality.

Anwar, back in Malaysia parliament, stages walkout

By VIJAY JOSHI, Associated Press Writer

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim rejoined Malaysia's Parliament on Thursday, resurrecting his mission to become prime minister a decade after he was charged with sodomy and his career written off.

Hours after he was sworn in, Anwar staged a walkout to protest proposed legislation that critics say is meant to bolster a new sodomy case against him.

Anwar says his alliance is on track to topple the government by Sept. 16 with defections from the governing National Front coalition, which has ruled Malaysia since its independence from Britain in 1957.

"I am glad to be back after a decade. I really feel vindicated. I feel great," Anwar said on Thursday.

Anwar was forced to resign his Parliament seat in 1999 amid a sodomy allegation and was jailed for six years after he was convicted of corruption and sodomizing his family driver. The sodomy conviction was overturned by Malaysia's top court in 2004.

A special election was held Tuesday after his wife vacated her seat, which she had held for two terms during Anwar's political exile. He regained the seat in a landslide victory.

Anwar's triumph came on the heels of big gains by the opposition in the March general elections that loosened the governing National Front's 51-year grip on power.

The Front returned to power with a simple majority of 140 seats in the 222-member house. Anwar's People's Alliance coalition increased its strength from 19 to 82 seats and needs 30 more to form a government.

"Anwar — whatever we think of him and many of us are deeply skeptical — is looking more and more like our future prime minister," columnist Karim Raslan wrote in The Star daily on Thursday. "There is a mounting sense of inevitability to his impending succession."

Tuesday's election also was a gauge of public anger against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration, which the opposition has painted as corrupt, inefficient and uncaring toward minorities.

The opposition promises to scrap Malaysia's decades-old system of preferences for ethnic Malays. The government says that would jeopardize the country's unity.

Within hours of being sworn in on Thursday, Anwar led the opposition in a walkout to protest a proposed law that would make it mandatory for criminal suspects to provide DNA samples.

Critics say the law is meant to target Anwar, who has been accused of sodomizing a 23-year-old male aide in case separate from the 1999 one.

Anwar has dismissed the allegation as a "sickening" government conspiracy to prevent his rise to prime minister and has refused to give a DNA sample to police, saying he fears it would be tampered with.

A court will hear his case on Sept. 10 to set a date for the trial. Under Malaysian law, even consensual sodomy is punishable by up to 20 years in jail if convicted.

On Thursday, Home Minister Syed Hamid's closing speech on the DNA legislation debate was interrupted numerous times by heckling opposition lawmakers.

Just as Syed Hamid was finishing his speech, Anwar led all opposition members in a walkout, watched by stunned government lawmakers. He told reporters that the opposition had demanded the setting up of a select committee to study the bill first.

"We have walked out because they have refused to respond" to the request, he said. "So there's no point in staying and participating in this debate."

___

Associated Press writers Eileen Ng and Sean Yoong contributed to this report.

Anwar’s back in Parliament

By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ended his 10-year absence from Parliament when he was sworn in at 10.05am by Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia in the Dewan Rakyat.

He can now drop the "de facto" prefix from his position as opposition leader as Pandikar Amin confirmed the endorsement by Pakatan Rakyat of his leadership immediately after the swearing-in.

"According to Standing Order 4A(3), I wish to inform that from the feedback I have received, I am satisfied that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, MP for Permatang Pauh, has received unanimous support from opposition members to be appointed opposition leader," the speaker told the House to the loud table-thumping by opposition MPs which had soundtracked the entire swearing-in ceremony.

In asking the first question during the Q&A session, the BN's Sepanggar MP Datuk Eric Enchin Majimbun first congratulated "the honourable Permatang Pauh" and this was echoed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

"I would like to congratulate him on his return to Parliament and also his appointment as opposition leader," he said before answering the question.

Immediately after, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang stood up to ask a supplementary question but prefixed it by proclaiming that the Permatang Pauh by-election was a "second political tsunami" after the March 8 general election and added that "the government will be sunk like the Titanic".

Dressed all in black, including his songkok, as is required for the swearing in of an MP, Anwar later told the press that "everyone wanted me to take an oath, so it's done", a double entendre alluding to earlier calls for him to swear on the Quran to counter sodomy allegations reiterated in a similar oath taken by his accuser Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Saying that he was glad to be back after a decade of "being denied of my rights, although it's been good that Azizah has been holding the fort as MP for Permatang Pauh and opposition leader," referring to his wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

"I feel I am vindicated after all these personal attacks just to deny me — at all cost, Anwar must not be allowed to return to Parliament. But the people of Permatang Pauh are wise enough to want to see me in Parliament. All their machination, the might of those in authority, the massive power and billions of dollars cannot alter the minds of Malaysians," he stated.

He also commented on fresh calls for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign, saying that it is up to Umno but "clearly the PM has lost the mandate and the Deputy Prime Minister who spearheaded the campaign has been rejected outright. It's not just them but the entire Umno and their cronies who have amassed billions from the people".

On the other hand, Anwar was evasive about his much-publicised plans to take over the federal government by Sept 16, merely saying it was on track and that details would be dealt with in due time.

"I can assure you, in our stated policy, when Umno is the opposition, they will be given more right than when we were," was his only reference to Sept 16.

Asked about the fact that the "live" broadcast of Parliament today had only begun after his swearing in, he replied: "That's normal for these nasty machinations of the BN government. Even after I have won, they are still in a state of denial. They use their henchmen in the media, RTM and TV3 for example, not just to broadcast malicious and scurrilous attacks but to deny even what is standard procedure.

"Doesn't this sound stupid?" he added.

Nazri, however, insisted that the government had only ever agreed to broadcast the Q&A session and not specifically proceedings from 10am.

Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek echoed this, saying that "We begin the telecast every day from the first question. Even when we swore in 216 MPs we didn't have a live telecast, what more for one person?"

Tomorrow, he wil take his place opposite the man he seeks to depose, Finance and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, for the tabling of the 2009 Budget.

"To me it's about policies," he said of meeting Abdullah in the Dewan Rakyat. "It is nothing personal. I can meet them and be very civil. It's the Umno leadership that has been dirty and personal. We did not bring up any issue about their candidate in the by-election. Shouldn't they feel shameful?"

Anwar left the press conference to be shown his new office as opposition leader by his predecessor, wife and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail but returned to the Dewan Rakyat at 11.55am.

Anwar's first statement in the House was to interject during the debate on the controversial DNA Identification Bill, said by the opposition to be targeted at him.

"The one whose credibility is in question is our corrupt leaders. This government's desire to push the Bill quickly shows they are greedy and disrespectful to the Speaker and the House. They have not given members time to scrutinise the Bill and exercise their responsibility. The government's approval of the Bill only proves they are corrupt as it has been opposed by all experts in the related fields. The government and Cabinet are afraid of people power."

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