Hamzah Some Govt Mps Skipped Vote Because They Don T Like My Face

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Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin today expressed disappointment with several backbenchers who failed to turn up for the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) vote on Wednesday.
“I was not very happy because some of them were already in the Dewan Rakyat, I can name those who just walked out during the bloc vote. That’s not fair,” said Hamzah, according to The Vibes.
Asked if the absentees explained themselves, Hamzah said: “The reason is they don’t like my face.”
There were 49 MPs who were missing from the crucial vote to allow the government to enforce a 28-day detention without trial period under Sosma for another five years after July 31.
In the end, the motion was defeated - 84 ayes to 86 nays.
The Hansard showed that the bulk of absentees were backbenchers, which included two whips - Azmin Ali of Perikatan Nasional along with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of BN.
Meanwhile, Hamzah said it was wrong for the opposition to vote against the Sosma motion because the law was used to safeguard national security.
“They are politicising it, that’s why I hope the people are aware of the matter and do not see it as a political issue.
“They cannot bring forward this issue to say this is a show of power of the opposition,” he said.
Opposition MPs had argued that Sosma’s detention without trial provision was subject to abuse, citing how the law was applied against Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah in 2016.
Hamzah indicated that he has no intention of seeking bipartisan support over the motion and will table the same motion again in the future.
The Dewan Rakyat is scheduled to convene again on July 18. - Mkini

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