Ridiculous! Outrageous!

This is my immediate reaction to news report of a directive by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz banning members of the public from Parliament on Monday purportedly to thwart a demonstration to be organised by the Opposition over the Standing Order 18 motion by Parliamentary Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Wan Azizah on no confidence in the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

How can the public be banned from Parliament when the public gallery is an integral part of parliamentary process to ensure that it remains open, accountable, transparent and democratic?

If Parliament is to conduct its proceedings in “closed session”, there must be strong security justification – and not just on the pretext of a rumour of an Opposition demonstration in Parliament building on Monday.

For the record, this is the first time that I have heard of such a rumour!

Even if Parliament is to take extraordinary security measures in the parliamentary precints, it must be decided by Parliament itself and not by the Executive – unless Parliament is nothing more than a mini government department.

A House Committee of MPs from both sides of the House has been set up tasked with responsibility over parliamentary facilities and questions like whether extraordinary security measures should be taken as to deny the public free and easy access to Parliament should come directly under its purview and jurisdiction.

I understand that police has issued a national alert cancelling all leave as if expecting grave national security threat stemming from Parliament on Monday.

Is somebody trying to create a situation to justify extraordinary and even emergency measures?