Why ape the former oppressors? Former PKR MP criticises motion to suspend Wan Fayhsal

A former PKR MP who was once slapped with a six-month suspension by the Dewan Rakyat has slammed the Pakatan Harapan-led government’s decision to suspend Perikatan Nasional’s Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, saying the coalition is now abusing its power to silence elected representatives.

N Surendran, a former PKR vice-president, said the Machang MP should instead be referred to the cross-party privileges committee if the government had problems with his conduct.

“Using the parliamentary majority to punish an MP is arbitrary,” said Surendran, who was suspended as MP for Padang Serai for six months in 2013 after allegedly insulting the speaker, sparking loud protests from opposition parties.

“Then my PH MP colleagues objected vehemently, arguing that it was repressive. Now that they are in power, they are behaving the same way.”

“Why do you imitate your former oppressors?” he asked.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Azalina Othman Said has sent a letter to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul requesting that an urgent motion be tabled today to suspend Wan Fayhsal for six months.

Azalina alleged that the Machang MP had denigrated employees of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) by reading out a letter circulating online about a certain official who played an active role in pushing through the controversial deal with a company owned by US fund manager BlackRock.

The motion can be adopted by a simple majority.

Wan Fayhsal was one of the leading protesters against the plan to involve BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners in the operation of the country’s airports.

Under the plan, GIP will acquire a 30% stake in a consortium to manage Malaysia’s airports, jointly operated with state investment arm Khazanah Nasional and EPF, both entities under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance, headed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.