A rumour of demonstration to be held within or outside the parliament compound is an excuse. Demonstration outside parliament may be dealt with by FRUs and security forces outside – and the Opposition can also dismiss the rumour by a confirmation to the contrary – and it is odd to think it has nothing to do with the members of public inside in which seating capacity is, in any case, only for 100 people.

Should Opposition motion be accepted, it is likely to be debated on Monday, and the real reason to exclude the public might well be that they don’t want to public to hear the debate and reasons (read dirty linen) on why such a motion of no confidence is moved.

This in turn may suggest that the Speaker may be given the ‘Ok’ to allow the motion for 1 hour debate.

If so the government’s motive is to silence the Opposition and undermine DSAI’s credibility once and for all that the Opposition could at this moment in time secure sufficient defections and cross ocvers to carry the motion by majority for all the big talk of taking over in September.

If DSAI were “bluffing” on the defections stitched, then he must be gambling on the switch from those within BN camp immediately dissatisfied with the 18 month long transition pact between AB & Najib.

AAB’s detractors such as supporters of Mukhriz, TDM and Tengku Li will be in a dilemma as to whether to toe the party line and vote against the motion, to vote for the motion or to abstain. DSAI is counting on abstentions as well to help.

Logically and following party convention the unhappiness with AAB no matter how strong, ought not translate to a vote for or an abstention in favour of an Opposition’s motion of such nature, and on the balance of probabilities, the detractors are expected to oppose the Opposition’s motion.

There is then a strong chance the BN will view it a DSAI’s bluff and call it by allowing such a motion just to prove that he is bluffing all along. However they cannot be 10% sure, so police has been put on a national alert cancelling all leave just in case of whatever eventuality.

In the first place is the Opposition (PKR in particular) organising a demonstration outside the Parliament against a possible rejection by the Speaker of the motion or a victory celebration just in case the motion were allowed and carried for Nazri to be able to use untoward incidents, security of parliament compound and safety of MPs as an excuse to bar the public? Has the Opposition dismissed the rumour of demonstration?

In respect of the ‘rumour’ of an Opposition demonstration in Parliament building on Monday, YB Kit said, “for the record, this is the first time that I have heard of such a rumour!”

However Tian Chua, PKR’s information chief admitted, “we just called our supporters to witness the debate, but authorities think it will be a mass gathering” – Malaysiakini’s report Jul 13, 08 2:30pm.

Kit asks, “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?”
The seating capacity of public gallery is only for 100 people – which can easily be all filled up by PKR supporters.

In the first place does not the public gallery refer impliedly to gallery for press and public observers who are “non partisan”????

In reference to the other point raised by Kit – “even if Parliament is to take extraordinary security measures in the parliamentary precincts, it must be decided by Parliament itself and not by the Executive – unless Parliament is nothing more than a mini government department” – it must be recollected that the motion of no confidence will be moved this Monday so where has Parliament or its standing committee time to sit to decide on this ???

The Speaker himself is bracing on how to decide on this motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Monday. Has Speaker the time to look into and handle this part of proceedings on public gallery being filled by Opposition supporters?

Under the circumstances and under pressure of time isn’t Nazri Aziz, the minister in PM’s Dept in charge of Parliament the right person to decide on matters of security?

If you don’t want the govt to stop the public from accessing the public gallery, then PKR should not turn the public gallery to a PKR gallery by calling on its supporters to go to Parliament to support Datuk Seri Wan Azizah’s moving the motion – which conjures in the mind of the authorities that they might also heckle, boo and jeer if the Speaker decides against allowing the motion!

In a sensitive session of a debate on no confidence motion on the PM/government is it right for PKR to call its supporters to fill up the public gallery? What happens if the BN also does that giving 99% of the seats to its own supporters, and what happens if Opposition suporters protest and a ruckus ensues within?