Chaos after speaker rejects debate on Petronas asset seizures
Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun, in blocking the debate, cited sub judice rules which prevent the Lower House from debating matters in court.
MPs including Ramkarpal Singh (Pakatan Harapan-Bukit Gelugor) accused Azhar of conflict of interest, as the latter's brother...
UPDATED 8.43PM | Isnaraissah reportedly confirms she has indeed been suspended from Parliament.
PARLIAMENT | Chaos broke out in the Dewan Rakyat today after a motion to debate the seizure of Petronas assets by the purported heirs of the Sulu sultanate was rejected.
Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun, in blocking the debate, cited sub judice rules which prevent the Lower House from debating matters in court.
MPs including Ramkarpal Singh (Pakatan Harapan-Bukit Gelugor) accused Azhar of conflict of interest, as the latter's brother Idrus Harun is involved in the Petronas matter in his capacity as attorney-general.
Azhar (above), however, rejected this notion.
"I don't talk to him about work," the speaker said.
He then ordered Energy and Natural Resources Minister Takiyuddin Hassan to proceed with the second reading of the National Forestry (Amendment) Bill 2022.
However, some MPs did not let up, with Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Warisan-Kota Belud) pointing out that this was a matter of national sovereignty.
As the MPs continued to talk over Takiyuddin, an audibly frustrated Azhar shouted at them, "Tolonglah! Duduk! (Please, sit down)"
This failed to quell the dissenting MPs who continued to protest his decision.
Not long after, deputy speaker Rashid Hasnon tapped in to oversee the Dewan Rakyat proceedings.
Suspension issued against MP
Continued protests then prompted Rashid to warn Isnaraissah to sit down, to which she refused, resulting in him issuing a two-day suspension against her.
However, she refused to budge, as MPs closed ranks around her to prevent Dewan Rakyat ushers from physically ejecting her.
The MPs continued to voice objections and pressured for a debate as Takiyuddin read the second reading of his bill in the background.
After several minutes of this, Rashid relented and said he would retract the suspension against Isnaraissah if she would abide by the rules.
He also said that his hands were tied on the debate and asked those unhappy to write in an appeal today.
This failed to quell dissent and Isnaraissah continued to remain in the chambers until she left to hold a press conference in the media room.
Despite the supposed retraction of the suspension order, the New Straits Times later reported that Isnaraissah has confirmed with the Dewan Rakyat secretary that she has indeed been suspended for two days.
The Sulu issue so far
Last week, London-based Financial Times reported that the purported heirs of the Sulu sultanate, who are claiming US$14.92 billion (RM62.59 billion) from Malaysia, seized two Luxembourg-incorporated subsidiaries of Petronas.
Lawyers of the claimants seized Petronas Azerbaijan (Shah Deniz) and Petronas South Caucasus, reportedly worth US$2 billion.
The lawyers said bailiffs in Luxembourg seized the holding companies on behalf of their clients yesterday.
The purported descendants of the last Sulu sultan, Sultan Jamalul Kiram II, are claiming the astronomical sum from Malaysia following an arbitration process.
The arbitration process was initiated in response to Malaysia cutting off annual lease payments of RM5,300 to the Sulu sultanate in 2013 in the wake of a bloody incursion in Lahad Datu in eastern Sabah by a militant group from the Philippines claiming to represent the Sulu sultanate.
It resulted in 57 militants killed, together with six civilians and 10 members of Malaysian security forces.
Malaysia did not participate in the arbitration process in France, arguing that the dispute between Malaysia and the claimants was not a commercial contract and thus not subject to arbitration.
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