Cabinet can't give orders to Speaker, says Fahmi amid backlash

KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet does not give orders to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, says Fahmi Fadzil.

The Communications Minister said this following backlash over his earlier statement that the Cabinet would contact the Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s office over false statements issued by MPs.

He clarified his remarks saying that the government wants to meet with Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul to provide feedback and exchange ideas regarding recent developments in Parliament.

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“What I meant was to give feedback. It is nothing more than that. We cannot order the Speaker to do anything,” said Fahmi to reporters during an event at Lembah Pantai on Sunday (March 10).

According to Fahmi, it is normal for MPs from both sides of the divide to meet the Speaker to discuss and exchange views from time to time.

As an example, Fahmi cited the incident involving Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan in Parliament last week, where the Bersatu leader had to apologise for making baseless allegations against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Wan Saiful also apologised to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, over his remarks.

“If I’m not mistaken, the Opposition met with the Speaker. So, meetings with the Speaker are normal in Parliament,” added Fahmi.

On Friday (March 8), Fahmi had said the Cabinet would contact the Speaker’s office over false statements made by MPs during the past two weeks' debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat.

Fahmi said a series of false statements issued by MPst had confused the Dewan Rakyat before apologies were made.

Fahmi’s remarks had courted criticisms from Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh who said that such a statement had given a perception that the government had a hand in running the Parliament.

Ramkarpal had said the Parliament is an independent body and it has ample powers to reprimand MPs for making false remarks.