BN MP who signed petition revealed
Andrew Ong
Oct 25, 08 5:16pm
Billy Abit Jol is the sole Barisan Nasional MP to have signed the petition urging the prime minister to prioritise the debate on the Internal Security Act when Parliament reconvenes on Wednesday.
The petition signed by 85 MPs – 81 from Pakatan Rakyat, three independents and one from BN – was delivered to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s office yesterday morning.
Billy Abit is a five-term MP for Hulu Rajang and vice-president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak.
His signing of the petition was revealed by Ipoh Timor MP and DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang when the latter officiated the DAP Jalong branch this morning.
Contacted later, Lim said that Billy Abit’s identity was not revealed before the submission out of “courtesy” to the prime minister.
“I would like to praise Billy Abit for his principles and courageous stand in putting national interest ahead of party interest,” said Lim.
Other MPs intimidated?
He said that he hoped Billy Abit’s act would serve as an example to other Barisan MPs and ministers.
Lim also took a swipe at MCA and Gerakan’s newly elected top leaders for refusing to sign the petition, despite having calling for and passing resolutions on the ISA during their respective annual party meetings earlier this month.
“I want to ask these leaders whether their MPs, ministers and deputy ministers have been intimidated into not supporting the petition,” he said.
“If their MPs are not allowed to support the call for a debate, which does not mean they are committed to a repeal or review, then all their brave talk at their respective conferences that they want to be articulate and outspoken is just hogwash”.
Both MCA and Gerakan spoke feverishly against abuse of the ISA and called for a review of the controversial law. Abdullah however has ruled out reviewing the law in the near future.