A bold challenge to parliamentary procedure: Takiyuddin Hassan questions the legality of a six-month suspension from Parliament, arguing it amounts to double jeopardy and an attempt to silence oversight of government standard operating procedures.
The opposition chief whip, the Kota Bharu MP, says the motion—expected to be tabled by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail—overlaps with an earlier referral to the Parliamentary Rights and Privileges Committee initiated by Suhaizan Kayat (PH-Pulai), a process that has not yet reached a conclusion.
At a press conference inside the Parliament precinct, Takiyuddin disclosed that the Speaker sent a letter to Pulai and the Home Minister, requesting responses to his formal explanation. He notes he has seen a copy of that letter.
Standing Order 36(12) allows MPs to be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee, a body composed of members from both the government and the opposition.
Takiyuddin described the six-month suspension proposal under Standing Order 27(3) as abrupt and questioned why he was not first brought before the committee. He argued that, legally, this constitutes double jeopardy—two proceedings on a single issue against the same person.
The suspension relates to remarks Takiyuddin made during the Supply Bill 2026 debate on October 22, in which he allegedly tied the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) to the 1985 Memali incident. Saifuddin contends the statements were intended to provoke fear and portray MMEA officers negatively.
Takiyuddin maintains full compliance with all conditions set by the Speaker after Suhaizan’s complaint and says he submitted a six-page written explanation within the prescribed deadline.
He contends that once the explanation was received, the next step should have been for the Speaker to determine whether a prima facie case existed before referring the matter to the committee.
Context: The Memali incident occurred in November 1985 in Kampung Memali, Baling, Kedah, when police attempted to arrest religious teacher Ustaz Ibrahim Mahmud, also known as Ibrahim Libya, under the Internal Security Act 1960 (now repealed). Resistance by residents resulted in the deaths of 14 villagers and four police officers.
POLITICS
