Hassan urges Anwar to address Zahid's DNAA issue in Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR - While many Members of Parliament (MP) slam Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim following the court's decision to discharge without acquitting (DNAA) Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (BN-Bagan Datuk), an MP had instead stood up to defend the Prime Minister's leadership.

Hassan Abdul Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) had urged Anwar to give an explanation in the Dewan Rakyat regarding the matter at the upcoming Prime Minister's Question Time (PMQT) session.

He stressed that the move was important to enable MPs from both the government and the opposition to get a valid explanation.

"From a legal point of view, what was reported in the newspaper (the status) was hearsay, but I believe what he (Anwar) said because it was a conversation between friends in the same party, a conversation between party leader and members.

"I believe in what he said. I will not throw him under the bus and will defend him in the Dewan Rakyat.

"To be fair so that the folks in the opposition bloc and we in the backbenchers (supporters of the government) can hear from the Prime Minister himself so that this issue can be resolved," he said at the half-term review debate session of the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK12) at the Dewan Rakyat today.

In the meantime, Hassan urged the Attorney General to take responsibility for the issue thus supporting the act of the Special Select Committee on Human Rights, Elections and Institutional Reform to summon the former Attorney General and Attorney General to address the issue.

"When the court decision was made, the Prime Minister was in Jakarta as he was attending the Asean Summit and I read a report stating that he said that he did not intervene because it was at the Attorney General's discretion.

"When the Prime Minister returned to Malaysia, he also emphasised that the matter was at the Attorney General's discretion and could not be interfered with," he said.

On Sept 5, Hassan raised a number of questions in regard to Zahid's court case outcome through a poem titled 'DNAA Poem' which was uploaded on Facebook.

He expressed his disappointment and questioned the country's legislation which allegedly practises a double standard.