Dear Editor,
A word of wisdom to the Speaker of the National Assembly. The Constitution must not be bent to accommodate a few when personal feelings are hurt. The Alliance For Change (AFC) has taken note of the warning issued by the Speaker of the National Assembly to the now Opposition Leader, Mr. Azruddin Mohamed. While recognising that the Privileges Committee exist to ensure order and decorum within the National Assembly, the AFC cautions that the jurisdiction of this committee is confined strictly to actions and conduct that occur inside the house.
Any allegedly “vile” comments made against the Speaker, outside of the National Assembly do not fall under parliamentary privileges. In such circumstances, the Speaker is fully entitled to seek redress through the courts under the laws governing libel. It is also worth noting that the Speaker’s predecessors were thorough, resolute, and capable of withstanding intense political pressure and far more combative political environments without compromising the integrity of the office.
The Speakers of the National Assembly must remain above partisan politics and must not be perceived as aligning with either the Opposition or the Government. When a Speaker abandons neutrality, the office itself is diminished, and every subsequent ruling is rightly subjected to scrutiny and criticism, as such decisions appear biased, partisan, and one-sided.