Don’t usurp my authority again, Dewan Rakyat Speaker warns minister
malaymailonline
KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia reprimanded today Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said for “usurping” his authority after she refused to answer the opposition’s questions on the RM2.6 billion political donation without first seeking his approval.
The Speaker also warned other ministers not to pre-empt his decisions in the House.
“The mistake the minister made is she pre-empt the issue by usurping the power of the Speaker, that is the mistake.
“So never ever, any minister, repeat that mistake again,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat.
Azalina had initially rejected questions by several opposition lawmakers for fear of subjudice, a legal term which prevents a topic to be discussed publically if the issue is under judicial consideration, over the political donation.
“For Yang Berhormat’s information, these issues cannot be answered at this time being in line with Standing Order 23(1)G subjudice,” she said.
Section 23 (1) G of the Standing Order states that “a question shall not be so drafted as to be likely to prejudice a case under trial, or be asked to any matter which is sub judice.”
This led to an uproar in the Dewan Rakyat as several opposition lawmakers stood up and hotly disputed her reply after being stonewalled for several days when seeking answers on the donation.
Azalina defended herself, saying that she had made the decision under the advisement of the AG’s Chambers as “all answers will be subjudice.”
The advice from the AG’s chambers came, she said, after the Malaysian Bar filed a judicial review against the Attorney-General’s decision to close investigations on the transfers of RM2.6 billion and funds from SRC International to the prime minister’s accounts.
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