Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has been given a week to substantiate his claim that the federal government has employed a public relations firm which conceptualised the 'One Israel' campaign.

In the Dewan Rakyat today, Kota Belud MP Abdul R

ahman Dahlan cited Standing Orders 37(1) and 36 (12) to accuse Anwar of misleading the House.

Standing Order 37(1) allows for any member of the House to interrupt proceedings in order to bring attention to a matter which is in breach of the Standing Orders.

Order 36(12) provides for any member who has misled the Dewan Rakyat to be cited for contempt and be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee.

Abdul Rahmad referred to Anwar's accusation in his debate last week that public relations firm Apco Worldwide was once engaged by the Israeli government headed by Ehud Barak, and had helped come up with the 'One Israel' slogan.

anwar ibrahim pkr parliament pc 111108 02 Anwar also said Apco helped to come up with the 1Malaysia concept after being engaged by the Malaysian government.

Abdul Rahman claimed that Anwar's allegations are false, referring to a statement last week in which Apco denied Anwar's allegations.

"Based on the facts, it is in my opinion that YB Permatang Pauh (Anwar) has issued a statement which has misled the House. He must correct his statement. This is important because the issue may be used by the opposition in their ceramah .

"I move that the House passes a motion to ask the Opposition Leader to correct his statement, failing which he should be referred to the rights and privileges committee. I hope that the speaker can rule on the matter."

Opposition parliamentarians, however, did not take this sitting down.

A number of them, most notably N Gobalakrishnan (PKR-Bagan Serai), Saifuddin Nasution (PKR-Machang), Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) and Yusmadi Yusoff (PKR-Balik Pulau) stood up in defence of Anwar.

They also questioned the use of Standing Order 37(1) to bring up the matter.

The situation mirrored the chaos of last week, as the opposition stalwarts loudly voiced their objection to Abdul Rahman's argument based on a point of order.

Deputy Speaker Ronald Kiandee was hard-pressed to calm them, repeatedly ordering the noisy parliamentarians to sit down and stop their tirade.

Anwar in London

Minister in charge of parliamentary affairs Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz then stood up and told Kiandee that the government is of the view that Anwar should given a week to back up his claims, considering that he is not in the House to respond directly.

nazri abdul aziz "The accusation is very serious... we propose that Permatang Pauh be given one week to respond or to correct his statement."

Should Anwar fail to provide a satisfactory explanation, Nazri said the government would move a motion to refer him to the rights and privileges committee.

"This is not a ruling. I have not made a ruling. I am only agreeing with the minister in order to provide a solution," said Kiandee.

Anwar has just returned from London as part of a global campaign to drum up support in relation to the Sodomy II trial .