Ahmad Maslan: Hamzah should question MPs from his own party

Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin should question MPs from his own party who did not participate in a crucial vote on the Security Offences (Special Measures) 2012 Act (Sosma) last week.

BN secretary-general and Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan said Hamzah should not be blaming MPs from Umno because some of them have valid reasons to be absent.

Speaking to Utusan Malaysia, Ahmad said he was absent because he was told that there won't be a vote while his BN colleague and Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak was absent because the latter was in court.

“Hamzah needs to ask: Where was (Pagoh MP and Bersatu president) Muhyiddin Yassin? Where was Alor Gajah (MP Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof)?

“If those two voted, (Hamzah’s) motion would have been passed. So blame Bersatu. Why blame Umno?” said Ahmad.

Two days after the vote, a frustrated Hamzah told the press that some MPs were absent from the vote because they “did not like his face”.

Hamzah argued that those MPs he was referring to were present during the debate on the motion but absent during the vote, which was defeated with 85 ayes and 86 nays.

This was the first time in Parliament’s history that a government matter was voted down.

According to the Hansard, there were 50 MPs absent during the vote. BN and Perikatan Nasional both had 13 absentees respectively.

Hamzah’s motion sought the permission of Parliament to extend Sosma's 28-day detention without trial period for another five years.

Currently, the provision allowing for detention without trial is set to expire on July 31. Hamzah has vowed to retable the motion.

After failed Sosma bid, NGO reminds govt of human rights obligations

KJ: Cabinet decides Harapan did not violate MOU by voting against Sosma bill

MP SPEAKS | Why we opposed extension of Section 4(5) of Sosma?

YOURSAY | Umno using Sosma as an excuse for early GE

Hamzah: Some govt MPs skipped vote because they don't like my face

Sosma provision likely to be retabled, says home minister