The Parliament is dead, and the nation is being driven down a dangerous path, the son of former deputy prime minister Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman lamented today following the tabling of the amendment to Act 355. 

Mohamed Tawfik Ismail said today was a sad day for Malaysia as Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia had pressed on with the tabling of the motion, despite him having served an originating summons to Pandikar yesterday to deter the amendments being tabled in Parliament today.

Tawfik, who had filed the summons at the Kuala Lumpur High Court last Friday, told reporters yesterday after serving it on Pandikar, that he does not expect to see the amendments to Act 355 being in the Parliament order paper today.

“Parliament is dead when the speaker who took an oath to protect preserve and defend the Federal Constitution betrays the very oath he has taken as a member of Parliament.

“The speaker plays politics disregarding the constitution and commits treason in ignoring the Conference of Rulers' right to be consulted before promulgation of any laws that will divide us as a nation,” he added further in the statement.

Tawfik said that for the speaker to jump to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's motion and place the amendment as number one in the order paper is arrogance of the highest order.

He alleged Pandikar of wanting to show power. 

“He wants to show he can abuse power and there is nothing anyone can do about it. That much is clear,” he said, adding that the dream of one united nation is being subverted by the very people voted by the rakyat and trusted to wisely make laws to unite us as a nation.

“Today the people must rise to condemn the Speaker if elected MPs cannot do that. Today we must stand together to protect the nation from the mischief of one man. Today the people must rise to protect Parliament,” he urged.

It was reported that in the court papers that Tawfik filed, he had sought a declaration that the proposed amendments were unconstitutional.