KUALA LUMPUR: Several government representatives today urged the Batu Member of Parliament to be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee for allegedly violating the Home Surveillance Order (HSO) when attending the Dewan Rakyat sitting last Thursday.
Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) (pix) said such conduct should not be taken lightly as it could endanger the safety and health of other MPs should Prabakaran tested positive for Covid-19.
âThis is a grave violation, so I request the Speaker himself to refer him (Prabakaran) to the Rights and Privileges Committee as the penalty by he Health Ministry (MOH) is different,â he said.
Echoing Shahidanâs sentiment was Tan Sri Noh Omar (BN-Tanjung Karang) who opined that Parliament had to take its own action because MPs had their immunity and could not be charged for things they did in the Dewan Rakyat.
In response to this, speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun said he took note of the matter and would see whether Prabakaran could be referred to the committee.
Earlier, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (BN-Putrajaya) and Datuk Seri Dr Santhara Kumar (Bersatu-Segamat) requested for the Speakerâs ruling on the appropriate action that should be taken against Prabakaran and review last Thursdayâs voting session.
However, Azhar said to penalise or compound any individual who violated the MOH or the National Security Council order was not under his jurisdiction.
âActually, on that Thursday, the sergeants-at-arms and I did not realise the matter. But when we checked the voting list later, the Batu MP did cast his vote.
âI have no power to penalise or issue a compound, so I advise anyone who wishes to bring this matter further to make a report to the relevant authorities,â he said.
On Thursday, Prabakaran was said to have attended the debate and voting session for the Supply Bill 2021 at the committee stage for the Communications and Multimedia Ministry despite being ordered to undergo the HSO. -Bernama
