(Speech by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang at the launching of the DAP Tebing Tinggi mobile service centre in Ipoh on Sunday April 11, 2010 at 10 am)
I will submit an urgent motion to the Speaker, Tan Sri Pandikar Mulia Amin tomorrow to debate the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to conduct full and comprehensive investigations on whether Israeli agents had infiltrated Bukit Aman – to replace four redundant and overlapping investigations announced by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on Friday.
For the past four weeks, the parliamentary strategy of Najib government had been to totally stonewall any accountability on the RM28 million public funds spent on APCO and the international consultancy agency’s role in the conception of both 1Malaysia and One Israel until the debate on April 22 to refer the Parliamentary Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to the Committee of Privileges for misleading the House on the issue.
I fully agree with the general consensus in the country, as expressed by one letter to Malaysiakini, asking: “What’s wrong in saying 1Malaysia is a carbon copy of One Israel when there are similarities” and warning that suspending an MP just because the BN government does not agree with him is “a blatant abuse of power”.
The Barisan Nasional abuse of its simple majority in Parliament to harass and victimize Pakatan Rakyat MPs and leaders is most deplorable but the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should be forewarned that it is an overkill to penalize Anwar on the APCO and 1Malaysia issue for which he and the Barisan Nasional will have to pay dearly in terms of popular support.
The issue of whether Israeli agents had infiltrated the top echelons in Bukit Aman is however a different and separate issue from the APCO and 1Malaysia controversy and the Barisan Nasional front-bench in Parliament cannot use the same excuse to kick the ball to the April 22 debate on the motion to refer Anwar to the Committee of Privileges for answer and accountability.
The very fact that Hishammuddin had announced four agencies, namely the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Security Council and a parliamentary select committee to conduct parallel but separate investigations is proof of the gravity of the matter – that it is not something which could be dismissed summarily as baseless rumours from thin air . It is however downright ridiculous and outrageous to have four agencies probing into one same matter.
Furthermore, given their past records, who would believe that the police, the MACC and the National Security Council could conduct any credible, independent and professional investigation, untainted by political considerations of the powers-that-be?
Would Hishammuddin agree to a parliamentary select committee for the probe should be one which could conduct really indepth and wide-ranging investigations, with the Home Ministry and Police undertaking to release all necessary documentation and evidence without hiding behind the Official Secrets Act under the guise of national security?
Would he agree and support the establishment of a Special Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate whether there had been Israeli agent infiltration of Bukit Aman, headed by a Pakatan Rakyat Member of Parliament, whether PAS President Datuk Seri Hadi Awang or myself, with the Police and Government undertaking not to block or hamper inquiries whether using Official Secrets Act or other ruses?
Nobody believes that Hishammuddin would agree to the establishment of a such a Parliamentary Select Committee with extensive powers to probe as to whether Israeli agents have infiltrated Bukit Aman.
That being the case, the only way to secure public confidence and ensure that the government’s reaction is serious and in the national interest is to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry comprising respected, eminent and independent-minded Malaysians to conduct a full, comprehensive and indepth inquiry on whether Israeli agents had infiltrated Bukit Aman.
I hope Hishammuddin and Barisan Nasional MPs will not only support an emergency debate but also the proposal for a Royal Commission of Inquiry. This is a test whether the Najib Cabinet and Barisan Nasional MPs are prepared to act in the national interests, subordinating all party and personal interests.