Anwar sworn in, then leads walkout -KUALA LUMPUR
By Hazlin Hassan, Malaysia Correspondent
Mr Anwar being sworn in as a new MP in Parliament yesterday.
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim fired his first salvo in Parliament yesterday just hours after he was sworn in as an MP by leading his colleagues on the opposition bench in a walkout.
They were protesting against a proposed Bill that makes it mandatory for criminal suspects to provide DNA samples.
The opposition maintains it is aimed at Mr Anwar, who has so far refused to provide the authorities with a sample in connection with a fresh sodomy case brought forth by the allegations of a former aide.
‘The government’s desire to push this Bill quickly proves they are power-crazy. They have not given MPs the time to scrutinise the Bill and exercise their responsibility,’ he told Parliament.
He later told reporters that the opposition had walked out after Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar refused to entertain their request to refer the Bill to a select committee.
Earlier Mr Anwar, dressed in a black traditional Malay suit and songkok, had taken the oath for new MPs and promptly took the corner seat reserved for the parliamentary opposition leader, which was vacated by his wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, three weeks ago. He was cheered on by opposition MPs who pounded their desks loudly for their new leader.
His seat is directly opposite Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s in the 222-member Parliament.
Datuk Seri Abdullah, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak and most Cabinet ministers were not present during the ceremony. State television’s live parliamentary coverage did not show the swearing-in ceremony, beginning only after a government minister rose to speak later during proceedings.
Mr Anwar decried the move to omit the ceremony, calling it a ‘nasty machination’ of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.
He returned to Parliament after scoring a convincing win in Tuesday’s by-election in his bastion, the constituency of Permatang Pauh in Penang. He was MP for Permatang Pauh since 1982, losing that privilege after he was imprisoned in 2000 but regained the right to return to Parliament in April.
Source : Straits Times - 29 Aug 2008
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