FULL REPORT KUALA LUMPUR: PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's “Apco hearing” at the Rights and Privileges Committee has been postponed to a date to be fixed later.
Anwar said this morning the proceeding was deferred as the committee needed time to deliberate on his counsel's role and if other MPs can be allowed to observe.
The committee reasoned that Anwar's counsel can only play a partial role and advise him throughout the proceeding.
This means that the Opposition Leader's lawyer, former Bar Council chairman Ambiga Sreenavasan, will not be allowed to question or give submission to the proceeding.
"I wanted the presence of my counsel and that was agreed upon but then there was no clear decision on the role of the counsel, whether to sit and whisper to me or whether to submit.
"But the Speaker was kind enough to say the committee needed to deliberate on this and I will be duly informed," Anwar told a press conference.
He was later informed that he could not be allowed legal representation.
DAP's Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh, who sits in the committee, told a separate press conference that the committee has rejected Anwar's request for his lawyer to be present when he testifies.
He said both his and R Sivarasa's votes for the right to legal representation at the hearing were outweighed by the four Barisan Nasional MPs, who sit in the committee.
The committee is chaired by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia with members consisting of Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee, Karpal Singh, Fong Chan Onn (BN-Alor Gajah), Razali Ibrahim (BN-Muar), Nancy Shukri (BN-Batang Sadong) and Sivarasa (PKR-Subang).
Lawyer's role restricted
Earlier today, Puchong MP and lawyer Gobind Singh Deo blasted the restriction, saying it was absurd that the lawyer be given a partial role in the proceeding.
Under the Parliamentary Standing Order 83 (7) (A), anyone brought before the committee can either come unrepresented or with a counsel.
"What happens here is that there is a play of words here... today Ambiga is here but the committee is giving Anwar only partial rights.
"They say she can come in but her roles is restricted to a few things. She can't ask questions, she can't submit," said Gobind.
Gobind also took the committee to task for disallowing other MPs to observe the proceeding.
He said the hearing was of public and international importance and urge the committee to allow them in.
"The people have the right to know what's going on in there... what are they afraid of?" asked Gobind.
Six-month suspension
Anwar faces the prospect of a six-month suspension should he be convicted.
He is facing the parliamentary disciplinary committee for his accusation in the Dewan Rakyat that public relations outfit Apco Worlwide is linked to Israel.
Anwar had requested yesterday for a public hearing and not the usual closed-door proceeding.
Gobind said he will be writing a letter demanding an explanation on why other MPs are not allowed to attend the proceeding.
Meanwhile, Anwar criticised the proceeding as a "purely political" ploy to impede his movement.
"[This is] not to prejudge the decision of the committee but this is purely a political move in defence of Apco," said the Permatang Pauh MP.
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