Lawyer Haniff Khatri raps Surendran for 'politics of gangsterism'

Lawyer Haniff Khatri today rapped Padang Serai MP N. Surendran for 'politics of gangsterism'.

In his opinion piece published in The Malaysian Insider, Haniff expressed his "complete and utter disbelief" on Surendran's call for immediate discontinuance of any investigation by the police on the “seditious statement” uttered by Nurul Izzah during the debate on the King’s speech in Parliament on March 10.

“Surendran alleged that any investigation would be an affront to the privilege granted to parliamentarians, and therefore contempt against the House if not stopped immediately.

“This seems to be the latest way and style in which certain group of parliamentarians and politicians has been carrying out ‘politics of gangsterism’.

“It is one thing to firstly conduct oneself in a manner so clearly in breach of the laws of the country, and then without any impunity to demand that the authorities have no right to investigate that conduct of theirs. It is nothing less than a self claiming right to be above the law.

“This is exactly the position taken by MP Surendran, and this is the very definition of politics of gangsterism, which should have no place in the politics of our civilised democratic state,” wrote Haniff.

Haniff explained that Surendran’s action and statement urging the authorities to drop the sedition investigation on Nurul Izzah falls into the category of ‘politics by gangsterism’ because under Article 63(4) of the Federal Constitution, whatever said by any parliamentarian in the House does not enjoy full immunity from any actions according to the law.

“Instead, there are two limbs in the provision, under which that a parliamentarian can be taken action against: first, if it amounts to an offence under any laws passed pursuant to Article 10(4), which when cross-referred, relates to laws passed pertaining to Articles 152, 153 and 181 of the Federal Constitution, vis-à-vis, the position of the national language, the privilege of the Malays and bumiputeras, and the sanctity of the rulers; and secondly, where Surendran has omitted to mention, if it amounts to an offence under Sedition Act 1948.

“A reference to the Sedition Act will show that under section 3(1) therein, it is an offence to "bring into hatred or contempt or excite disaffection against the administration of justice".

“Surely, labelling five member panel of the Federal Court in the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's appeal as syaitan, or devil, which, among most religions practiced here, is considered the evilest among all creations of God, must be caught by the provisions of section 3(1)(c) of the Sedition Act.

“This must be very obvious even to a ‘kindergarten lawyer’,” he argued.

Haniff added that if one decides to break the law, then one must be magnanimous enough to receive the brunt of punishment, if charged and found guilty.

Surendran had urged the Home Ministry to drop the police investigation against Nurul Izzah as he claimed MPs cannot be charged for anything said in Parliament unless they question the foregoing sensitive matters.

He had said, Nurul Izzah merely criticised the conduct of judiciary in Anwar’s sodomy trial -- which is protected under Article 63 (2) of the Federal Constitution.

Surendran had said, the speech made by Nurul Izzah on behalf of the opposition leader did not touch any of the matters prohibited by Section 3(1)(f) Sedition Act, therefore no action or criminal proceeding can be commenced or maintained against her for criticising the judiciary.