YOURSAY ‘Being absent and not voting against Pota is gross dereliction of duty.’
Pakatan let rakyat down over Pota
Slumdog: I am sad to say this but this is a poor reflection on Pakatan Rakyat. You have indeed let the rakyat down.
Pakatan can’t even muster their 89 fellow MPs (only 60 voted) to ensure that all are present for this very critical vote, which as it has been said, will in the end can be used against them, activists, journalists and members of civil society.
With the government’s track record, a simple statement or action by an opposition member can be interpreted and twisted as a breach of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota).
Pakatan, you really need to get your act together.
ACR: With BN's 79 voting in favour, if all Pakatan MPs were in the House, their votes would have trounced BN's. Only a simple majority is required in this instance.
Pakatan MPs, you are up against an unfair system. You cannot go home and sleep, unlike BN MPs. Be in the House, whatever the time.
Ace: Yes, it's perplexing. Knowing fully well that the provisions will eventually be used against them, Pakatan MPs should make it a ‘do or die’ battle and make sure every available MP should attend that parliamentary sitting.
No excuses, only those who are so sick that they are bedridden or are about to die can absent themselves.
Now that opportunity is gone, we can only wonder (other than the real terrorists) which opposition MP or civil society activist or ordinary citizen will be arrested first.
Lukesky: I think it’s time that those MPs who were absent for the debate of such a crucial bill, either from BN or Pakatan, be named and shamed.
I think Pakatan MPs were assuming that the BN government would debate this over several sessions.
They were played out by the devious BN which sought to get the bill passed by hook or by crook by extending the parliamentary session into the wee hours and forcing a vote on the bill.
Lamborghini: All absentee Pakatan parliamentarians, let your head hang low and please just resign.
You have let down the rakyat at a very crucial time in our nation's history. Shame on you. We have lost faith in your cheap and noble sounding words of fighting for justice, etc.
Firestone: Any Pakatan lawmakers ever criticise or condemn the Pota in public, I will spit at him in his face!
Rafizi: Write to your MPs for failing to stop Pota
Oracle: This is nothing short of gross dereliction of duty and a betrayal of our trust. You are our mouthpiece in Parliament and our conscience. Grandstanding and making rousing speeches mean zilch when you failed us so miserably.
Don't worry, Pota will not be used against you after the next GE as we will put you out to pasture. We will not forget the slimeballs.
Lone_Star: To say I was disappointed with the Pakatan votes for Pota would be putting it mildly. The rakyat has been badly let down. How can this happen?
Awang Top: At least 93 percent of DAP MPs were present. Where were all the PAS MPs? Busy with hudud? Expect PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to say: I can make my own mind whether to attend or not.
Diablo: I am not surprised with the PAS MPs being absent and I am sure Hadi would be absent. But I am surprised Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and Azmin Ali, being top Pakatan leaders, were absent.
Einstein: Let us look at who will be present during the hudud bill vote. Totally inexcusable, your job is to represent the people.
Cantabrigian: If Pakatan MPs are not smart and persevering enough when they encounter BN’s dirty tactics, then don't talk cock; just resign from being the opposition.
Stig: If all Pakatan MPs were present, giving them a majority in Parliament at the time of the vote, who is to say that BN would have pushed the debate past 2am to pass the bill?
One would assume they would have adjourned early and deliberately postponed the voting to another day when they have the numerical advantage.
Chapati: They very well know that passing bills in wee hours has been the modus operandi of BN. Pakatan MPs should have been in Parliament to object to Pota.
Kangkung: PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli, there is no next time. This has happened once too often. These are all MPs in sheep's clothing. Publish the names of the opposition MPs who were absent and drop them as candidates in GE14.
We want a list of those MPs who were absent. Why is Malaysiakini is not publishing the list?
Wg321: I hope BN will highlight their names of these hypocrites this coming 14th GE so that we can remember them. We will definitely not vote for these Pakatan hypocrites. I have totally lost all respect for them.
The Analyser: So you can pretty well forget about blaming PAS for everything. As from 2.25am on Tuesday April 7, Pakatan has declared itself totally irrelevant to the future of Malaysia.
What had been a hoax, in mine and a few other minds, is now a national disgrace.
Editor's note: Malaysiakini is in the process of verifying the list of Pakatan MPs who did not vote on Pota. PKR and PAS party whips have not been forthcoming with the names of the absentees.
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