Suspend Gobind

By Jeff Ooi,

Tomorrow is big day for both MP Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) and governance of the Parliament.
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Friday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abd Aziz said a motion will be tabled against Gobind to have him suspended from Parliament for a year for ( 1 ) alleging that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was involved in a murder case and for ( 2 ) contempt against the Speaker.

The motion will be made under Standing Order 27 (1) of the Dewan Rakyat, which is punitive by nature. If the motion is passed, and it surely will as BN holds the majority in the House, Gobind will be suspended, denying him allowances and privileges as an elected MP.

Sub-judice

I am interested in the second part of the emotion, that Gobind has allegedly shown contempt against the Speaker of the House, who had directed him not to speak about the murder of Altantuya, on the basis that the matters were “sub-judice”.

Hence the question: If the matters were sub-judice, as ruled by the Speaker, then can the motion be debated by other MPs in the House tomorrow?

According to lawyer-blogger Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, the Speaker "cannot limit the scope of debate by ruling that reference to the Altantuya case and its investigation is not permitted. This would be akin to the MP being asked to step into a boxing ring with his hands tied behind him". Quote:

If the Speaker allows full ventilation of the issue, it would not only be inconsistent with the ruling of the Deputy Speaker on 12th March and other prior rulings that have impeded the raising of the Altantuya matter in Parliament, it would also permit the Altantuya matter to be raised in Parliament.

"I am not certain who stands to lose more if the motion is permitted to be debated," Imtiaz aded.

Meanwhile, way before the Parliament sits, Umno leaders tainted or otherwise have started a trial by media against Gobind.

NIEZAM, Mingguan Malaysia

Read this Star report that mentioned my name, albeit cited in the light of a separate case dated March 4.

It all was triggered three days earlier, dated March 1, by a NIEZAM report in Mingguan Malaysia (the Sunday edition of Utusan Malaysia), and online commentaries in Ohbulan.com, March 1.

Little Birds told Screenshots that NIEZAM had a follow-up story in Mingguan Malaysia, March 8. The columnist asked if the religious authority had turned a blind eye on the amorous activities of a certain VIP and a TV personality, ambushed and caught by enforcement officers.