Syed Saddiq calls out govt over hypocrisy in first move from Opposition bench

KUALA LUMPUR: In one of his statement’s from the Opposition bench in the Dewan Rakyat, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has called out the government for its “hypocrisy”.

This came after several Perikatan Nasional MPs sought an explanation from Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor, who was presiding over the meeting, on the motion to debate the outcome of the Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s case.

“Standing Orders 36(6) said no member shall impute improper motives to any other members. We are not casting improper motives on an MP but on the entire government,” said Syed Saddiq on Tuesday (Sept 12).

“The reality is that this is the biggest lie on the national level. Previously, they said that they will fight corruption, no cases will be dropped and kleptocrats will be imprisoned. (But now) they have been freed…the left hand fought…,” he said before Ramli turned off his mic.

Ramli then reminded Syed Saddiq not to waste his time adding that “99%” of the issues raised by the Opposition MPs who spoke before him were related to the same matter.

Ramli, however, granted Syed Saddiq another 30 seconds to finish his statement before proceeding with the House’s order of the business of the day which was the debate on the 12th Malaysia Plan Mid-Term Review.

“If we are silenced and if we cannot criticise the government without (being deemed) as imputing improper motives, then how can we discuss people’s issues,” he asked.

“Speaker, in 2015, 70 MPs in the Oppostion wanted to discuss a judge’s decision in court. Before that there was 1MDB, attacks against the then Attorney General. They did raise it,” he said while referring to a print-out of a news article.

He added that things changed after the then Opposition had become the government.

“Hypocrites,” he said.

Ramli also noted that while Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul had rejected Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal’s (PN-Machang) emergency motion to hold a special Parliament sitting for the Attorney General to explain the decision to grant Ahmad Zahid a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA).

However, he said another motion filed by Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) on the same issue was still pending.

On Sunday (Sept 10), Syed Saddiq announced his decision to vacate his seat from the government bench to become an Opposition MP, who would be a third force as a sign of protest against the outcome of Ahmad Zahid’s case.

While Muda has pulled out support for the unity pact, it has pledged to support any matters in that requires two third majority in the Dewan Rakyat.