KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Dec 2008: Two Opposition motions to have the salary of Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan cut by RM10 failed in Dewan Rakyat today.
Debate and windup on the two motions lasted some four hours ending in block voting which saw 30 MPs for it but 48 against.
Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) moved the first, questioning Musa’s integrity alleging that the latter had tried to lobby the government to award two projects to two companies that allegedly had links to his son.
In the second, moved by Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh), she claimed that Musa was incompetent and had abused his power when arresting several individuals including her under the Internal Security Act.
In her motion, Teresa also called for Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar’s salary to be cut by the same amount.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung, during the debate said everything about the two projects were above board and that after meticulous consideration, the Economic Planning Unit in the end did not approve the two projects.
As to doubts about Musa’s integrity, he said this was merely the perception of the opposition.
He added his ministry would not object to the Public Accounts Committee probing the matter further as suggested by Lim.
On Teresa’s claim about police inefficiency, he said presently the force was facing a manpower shortage and that efforts were being taken to address it.
Earlier, the Dewan Rakyat had also denied a motion by Lim to have Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Idris Harun referred to Parliament’s Rights and Privileges Committee for allegedly casting aspersions on the performance of former Universiti Malaya vice chancellor Datuk Rafiah Salim when giving a reply in the House on 13 Nov.
Deputy Speaker Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, in rejecting the motion, said he did not find the answer to be an insult to Rafiah.
Wan Junadi also denied Lim’s demand that Pasir Salak MP Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman be ordered to retract unparliamentary words the latter used in the Dewan on 30 Oct.
Tajuddin had called Lim “anti-Malay”. — Bernama
