THE STAR
Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia (pic)has ruled that the House should have been notified on the recent arrest of Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli
KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia (pic)has ruled that the House should have been notified on the recent arrest of Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli.
In a written response to Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul, the Dewan Rakyat Speaker said although the arrest was lawful, it should not have taken place in a Parliament precinct.
Pandikar said this was in accordance with Erskine May’s Parliamentary Practice that states that the House must be informed if a member is detained from his or her service in Parliament.
“Moreover, the arrest was done outside the Parliament compound, which is clearly near the Dewan Rakyat, which is currently sitting.
“This is in line with the responsibility given to the police under the Standing Order 1(e) which is to ensure the security and harmony of the Parliament when it is in session,” he said.
Pandikar also clarified that the parliamentary privileges and immunity given to a member of Parliament was not absolute, as they are still bound to other existing laws.
“We all know that the Official Secrets Act 1972 is an Act approved by the Parliament council,” he said.
Rafizi was arrested outside the Parliament gates at about 6.20pm on Tuesday.
On March 28, Rafizi revealed details from what he claimed was an excerpt from the Attorney-General’s report on 1MDB proving that the Government investment arm was partly to blame for delays in the Armed Forces Fund Board’s (LTAT) gratuity payments.
He has been remanded for three days until Friday to facilitate investigations under the Official Secrets Act 1972.
