Pandan Member of Parliament Rafizi Ramli’s arrest by police outside Parliament building on Tuesday was based on the existing law, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Referring to claims that Rafizi’s arrest was against the Dewan Rakyat standing orders, Ahmad Zahid who is also Home Minister, said Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia would decide today on answering the questions raised.

“I believe that the police action (against Rafizi) was based on the existing law which was passed by past and current members of Parliament,” he said after the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly in Putrajaya today.

Rafizi, who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president and secretary-general, was arrested in front of the Parliament gate about 6.20pm on Tuesday under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and then taken to the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman.

He is being remanded for three days from yesterday to facilitate the investigation into his exposure of official secret documents and his allegation against the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT).

Prior to this, LTAT in a statement said it had initiated legal action against Rafizi over his allegation on gratuity payments for LTAT veterans.

LTAT chairperson Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor said Rafizi's allegation was malicious and aimed at destroying LTAT’s good reputation and credibility.

- Bernama