Eyebrows were raised when de facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz saidthe Witness Protection Bill would ensure the confidentiality of witnesses.
However, critics are wondering how this is possible because the bill does not
exist.
PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said there is no evidence of such a
crucial bill being tabled in Parliament in the last sitting.
“My office had confirmed this fact with the Legal Division of the Parliament,
that no such bill had been tabled for a First Reading in the Lower House.
“The only bill which was tabled, debated and passed by the Lower House two
sessions ago was the Evidence of Child Witness Bill 2007,” she said in a
statement today.
Royal commission
Nazri reportedly said that the whistleblower in the scandalous VK Lingam video
could be protected under the Witness Protection Bill tabled recently in
Parliament.
He said the bill provided protection for witnesses so that their identities
could be kept a secret, including administrative and other operations necessary
to effect changes in their personal details.
Although Wan Azizah lauds the idea of having a Witness Protection Bill, she
however maintained that a royal commission on inquiry is still the best forum to
adjudicate on the controversial video.
The grainy eight-minute video showing senior lawyer Lingam apparently brokering
the appointment of ‘friendly’ judges with Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh
Abdul Halim in 2002 was released by PKR three weeks ago.
The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), which investigating the scandal, issued
notices to two PKR members to reveal the whistleblowers. Failing which, they
could be fined or jailed.
Fearing for the safety of the whistleblowers, PKR has insisted on a royal
commission which has the authority to grant protection to witnesses that come
forward with information.
Check the facts
Also echoing Wan Azizah’s sentiments was former United Nations special
rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Param Cumaraswamy.
“What Witness Protection Bill or Act is Nazri referring to? From searches made
there is no such legislation either passed by Parliament or even in a bill form
before Parliament,” he said in a statement today.
He also advised Nazri as the minister in charge of legal affairs to exercise
caution and check his facts before making public statements.
“Incorrect statements such as these could embarrass the government,” the former
Malaysian Bar president added.
Meanwhile, parliamentarian Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) said she was appalled with
Nazri’s statement and urged the minister to correct it immediately in order not
to mislead the public.
However, Kok welcomed the idea of having a Witness Protection Bill and hoped it
would be tabled when Parliament resumes on Oct 22.
Joker betul... written by Shim Wai Loon,
Monday, October 08 2007 06:01 pm
Shame..shame...shame...simply open his mouth without getting his facts right, no wonder he is so qualified to be the CJ's minister, but nothing else.
For once, his statement makes me laugh so happily
Shim Wai Loon
Nazri's Law written by Dipendra H Rai,
Monday, October 08 2007 06:30 pm
All of these would not have occurred had the minister and his cohorts chose the path of righteousness.
When you attempt to cover one misdeed after another, you invariably dig yourself deeper, as in this case, the minister made a complete fool of himself by advocating the use of a non existent Act of Parliament.
We shall now call all parliamentary bills, although not passed, but has some magical bind and force- Nazri's law.
Needless to say, his best defence would now to insist that he was misquoted by some journalist and hopefully pray that this all goes away.
Dipendra H Rai
Ha! Ha! Ha! written by Tan Pean Khoon,
Monday, October 08 2007 08:09 pm
The DE FACTO MINISTER OF LAW is referring to a non-existence Act. What a joke!
He should apologise to the public immediately by misleading the public. If he did not do it, the PM should do it on his behalf. After all PM is his boss. What a shame!
Tan Pean Khoon
Another joke.... written by Damian Yeo Shen Li,
Tuesday, October 09 2007 02:32 am
And he will be giving a closing remark in the Malaysian Law Conference. Joke of the year from de facto Minister of Law.
Damian Yeo Shen Li
Correct, correct, correct written by Visvanathan Murugiah,
Tuesday, October 09 2007 10:10 am
"Mr Minister.... correct, correct, correct, correct.... we mislead not for our own interests...... correct, correct, correct.. we are doing it for the country. What do these people know.... We have to complete our work... Correct, correct, correct, correct......God bless you too.."
The above is an excerpt from my nightmare last night. Boy.. did it give me the shivers!
Visvanathan Murugiah
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Shame..shame...shame...simply open his mouth without getting his facts right, no wonder he is so qualified to be the CJ's minister, but nothing else.
For once, his statement makes me laugh so happily
Shim Wai Loon