Speaker to probe if Rafizi arrested in Parliament compound

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia will make a ruling on the arrest of Rafizi Ramli after ascertaining if the MP for Pandan was detained within the compounds of Parliament.

“I am the Speaker. If there is an arrest within the precinct of the Parliament area, they (police) need to notify the Speaker.

“I will make a ruling after investigating the matter thoroughly. I have to get more information on whether it (Rafizi’s arrest) was within or outside the precinct,” he said.

He explained to the House that so far he had only read online reports about the arrest besides being informed of the matter by Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee.

Among the matters he will look into is whether the ruling under Standing Orders 1(e) had been violated.

The particular ruling concerns a motion directing the Inspector-General of Police to provide free passage to Members of Parliament.

At the Dewan yesterday, Opposition MPs criticised the police for detaining the PKR lawmaker at the Parliament guardhouse under the Official Secrets Act 1972.

Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Bayan Baru) requested Pandikar include the access road to Parliament as part of the Parliament precinct. “That is the only access road the MPs have to enter and exit the building.”

In asking for the ruling to be made as fast as possible, Johari Abdul, (PKR-Sungai Petani), warned that what happened to Rafizi could also befall Muhyiddin Yassin (Umno-Pagoh) or Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Meanwhile, Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) slammed the arrest as an insult to the Agong.

“Instruct the police to return Rafizi to Parliament now,” he demanded.

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