Yesterday’s arrest of MP for Pandan Rafizi Ramli at the gates of Parliament by the Police was an unacceptable and high handed.
It was a clear violation of the resolution that Parliament had passed at the beginning of the current parliamentary meeting, that is, to instruct the police there is no obstruction for MPs to make their way to and from Parliament.
When the incident happened yesterday, opposition MPs had immediately raised the issue in the Parliament.
It was disappointing that the Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan who was then in the House had not even stood up to show his disapproval of the Police’s action which could tantamount to a form of intimidation to other MPs, given the way and place Rafizi was arrested.
Such an arrest of an MP would not have happened in any mature democracy. And if it has happened, the Home Minister and the Inspector General of Police will have to tender their apologies and even their resignations.
I welcome Parliament Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin’s assurance that he will investigate the police arrest of Rafizi.
He has said in the Parliament today that he will find out whether it falls within the scope of hispower, taking into consideration the precinct of Parliament, given the ruling of Standing Order 1(e) approved by this House”.
Pandikar also said that he would need to determine exactly where the “precinct of Parliament” extends to, and whether it includes the roads leading to the compound, seeing as Rafizi was nabbed just outside the gates. I do not see this as technical issue of whether outside the Parliament gates falls within the precinct of Parliament.
It is clear that the arrest that took place outside the gates of Parliament was most unnecessary and high handed.
The Police’s action tantamounts to disrespect for the Parliament and Speaker. Parliament Speaker should not allow and accept such high handed arrest of any MP. No body is above the law and that includes the Police. I say the arrest is unreasonable and an interference in the discharge of the duties of an MP and the IGP must be called and reprimanded.
All MPs must be prepared to look at this as a non partisan issue and together protect the Parliament’s sanctity.
I call on the Speaker to demand the immediate release of Rafizi Ramli by IGP. If the IGP refuses to do accordingly, then the House should be prepared to cite the IGP for contempt.