Motion to debate 'bloody' ceramah rejected

Daripada Malaysiakini.com

Motion to debate 'bloody' ceramah rejected

An urgent motion to debate the violent stand off between the police and opposition supporters in Kuala Terengganu on Saturday night was rejected by the Dewan Rakyat speaker Ramli Ngah Talib today.

Ramli agreed with Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian), who brought the motion, that the matter was of public interest but ruled that it was not an urgent matter that needed to be debated and discussed in the House.

“It is just a riot and the police are investigating. Therefore I find the matter is of no urgency and I reject your appeal to discuss the matter now in this proceeding,” he said.

Salahuddin had filed the motion yesterday and hoped that the matter would be allowed to be discussed today.

In the motion, Salahuddin said that the incident, which resulted in scores hurt and two men shot by a police fire, should be debated as it involved public interest.

He said that the Internal Security Ministry should explain as to why a live bullet was used to disperse the crowd.

“This House must be given the necessary and just opportunity to discuss and debate on the tragedy so justice can prevail,” he said in the motion.

“The Internal Security Ministry must explain to the people of Malaysia why live bullets were fired upon unarmed civilians,” added Salahuddin. He blamed the police of being ‘trigger happy’ and lacking respect for the lives and safety of the public.

Tear gas and water cannonsThe police have come under heavy criticism over the manner they used force to disperse the gathering crowd from Pantai Batu Buruk in Kuala Terengganu on Saturday night.

About 500 people had gathered there to attend a ceramah by polls watchdog Bersih. The police had used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd, stating that the meeting was being called without a police permit.

Two opposition party members also suffered serious injuries after being shot by a policeman. The police have said that the shot was fired by one of its personnel in self defence.

Under Article 18 (1) of the Rules of Conference in the Parliament Act, a member of Parliament may file an urgent motion appeal to discuss a particular matter that he or she finds urgent to openly discuss and debate during the question and answer session.

The House speaker, under his sole discretion, may allow or disallow the urgent motion.