Monday May 12, 2008

Ibrahim questions silence of Opposition MPs

PASIR MAS: Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali questions why Malay members of Parliament from opposition parties are silent over the issue of Malay supremacy and the statement by Karpal Singh allegedly questioning the powers of the Perak Sultan.

However, DAP life adviser Dr Chen Man Hin sprang to Karpal Singh's defence, saying he was right in making his statement.

“The Malay MPs from PKR and DAP are silent when these issues are raised in Parliament,” claimed Ibrahim.

“Are they afraid to deal with it? Are they in cahoots since they are part of the Pakatan Rakyat alliance?” asked the independent MP from Pasir Mas.

He said the pin-drop silence from PKR and DAP had created suspicions.

“At least to a certain degree, senior leaders in PAS, such as Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, have presented their views,” he said.

Ibrahim felt that many MPs from the Opposition had gone overboard in questioning the sovereignty of the Malay rulers, and that they had not been duly reprimanded by their Malay leaders.

In light of the political developments, the Internal Security Act was needed to deter anarchy in the country, he added.

Dr Chen said it was legally correct for Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh to say that the appointments in the state civil service are under the jurisdiction of the respective Mentris Besar and executive committees.

He said that since Karpal Singh had also said the full jurisdiction over religious and Malay custom matters was under the state ruler, he had not been disrespectful to the Perak Sultan.

“All the claims that Karpal Singh was disloyal are baseless and is the work of Umno plotting together with a few civil servants.

“It is an open secret that the civil service heads in Perak have been uncooperative and defiant of the state government,” Dr Chen said.