Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers today sought for more time to debate the amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA), claiming that the Government was trying to 'bulldoze' it through.
PKR's Azmin Ali (Gombak), complained that there was not enough time to properly debate the slew of 11 Bills, mostly crime related, including the PCA.
Azmin asked that the debate be handed over to a Parliamentary Select Committee to discuss first, which is allowed under Standing Order 54.
"I want know if the time given is reasonable. If the Speaker can allow these Bills to be discussed in a select committee, it has been done before in 2005.
"Why is this not done? When we are talking about amendments, do you agree 11 amendments can be debated in three days? It's impossible," Azmin told the Dewan Rakyat.
"Where is the seriousness of the government? Of the four from the Home Ministry, we can withdraw three and debate one only," he added. Azmin later also said that the Speaker himself found it "hard to accept" that these Bills can be debated in time.
Azmin said that the Home Minister had failed to consult with various stakeholders, including the Bar Council, and it was unfair that the law be pushed through in such a short time.
Azmin said that some of the new amendments went against Attorney-General's stand.
"If we look at his statement in a workshop in Sunway August 24, that the country does not need preventive laws for serious crimes. He also said that in the Botak Chin case, we were able to be solve it without the PCA," said Azmin.
The Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee earlier shot down Azmin's proposal to have the Government state if it would allocate more time or withdraw a few Bills.
"The government has the power to table however many amendments it likes. My ruling is that the debates must go on. If there not enough time, then we can continue to debate it in the next session," said Ronald.
PKR's Azmin Ali (Gombak), complained that there was not enough time to properly debate the slew of 11 Bills, mostly crime related, including the PCA.
Azmin asked that the debate be handed over to a Parliamentary Select Committee to discuss first, which is allowed under Standing Order 54.
"I want know if the time given is reasonable. If the Speaker can allow these Bills to be discussed in a select committee, it has been done before in 2005.
"Why is this not done? When we are talking about amendments, do you agree 11 amendments can be debated in three days? It's impossible," Azmin told the Dewan Rakyat.
"Where is the seriousness of the government? Of the four from the Home Ministry, we can withdraw three and debate one only," he added. Azmin later also said that the Speaker himself found it "hard to accept" that these Bills can be debated in time.
Azmin said that the Home Minister had failed to consult with various stakeholders, including the Bar Council, and it was unfair that the law be pushed through in such a short time.
Azmin said that some of the new amendments went against Attorney-General's stand.
"If we look at his statement in a workshop in Sunway August 24, that the country does not need preventive laws for serious crimes. He also said that in the Botak Chin case, we were able to be solve it without the PCA," said Azmin.
The Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee earlier shot down Azmin's proposal to have the Government state if it would allocate more time or withdraw a few Bills.
"The government has the power to table however many amendments it likes. My ruling is that the debates must go on. If there not enough time, then we can continue to debate it in the next session," said Ronald.
