PM should face court, not hide behind immunity, says Hamzah
Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin (right) said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should face court proceedings without seeking immunity.
PETALING JAYA : Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin has criticised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for attempting to seek immunity in a civil suit brought against him by a former research assistant.
Citing how Article 8(1) of the Federal Constitution guarantees equality under the law, Hamzah said no one, not even the prime minister, is above the law.
'In this latest case, the prime minister must defend his dignity as an individual, and more importantly, the dignity of the office of the prime minister,' he said in a video posted on Facebook.
Hamzah said preserving the dignity of the country is an obligation and that public figures, especially the prime minister, must lead by example.
'Justice must be given to all, regardless of rank. Those in power must never abuse the process of justice, as this will lead to the collapse of public trust in leadership and the judiciary,' he said, adding that public trust would crumble if justice was not applied equally.
Hamzah also said failure to uphold fairness could scare off investors and tarnish Malaysia's global image.
'Foreign investors will see this country as being ruled by the law of the jungle. The long-term damage will be severe,' he added.
On Tuesday, Anwar filed an application at the High Court to refer eight questions of law to the Federal Court, including whether he enjoys qualified immunity under Articles 39, 40 and 43 of the Federal Constitution.
The questions are linked to a civil suit filed by his former research assistant, Yusoff Rawther, over alleged incidents that took place before Anwar assumed office on Nov 24, 2022.
Separately, the prime minister's senior political secretary Shamsul Iskandar Akin urged all quarters to leave it to the court to decide on Anwar's application.
Shamsul warned the opposition against manipulating the legal case for their political narratives.
'Leave it to the court to evaluate (the application). This country has seen far too many episodes of legal manipulation for the sake of political interests,' he said in a statement.
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