Previously charged with molest, Shahidan’s inclusion in select committee on women, children’s affairs slammed
The inclusion of Arau MP Datuk Shahidan Kassim, who was once charged for molesting a 15-year-old girl, in the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (SSC) for women and children’s affairs has been criticised today.
(MMO) – DAP’s Lanang MP Alice Lau today said that the Umno MP had once even opposed the formation of the committee.
“I fought very hard for the formation of this SSC. Arau and Bintulu were the two out of seven house committee members who rejected it! He rejected the SSC and now he’s in SSC!
“Welcome Arau to SSC for Women & Children Affairs & Social Development,” she posted, with an angry emoji. Bintulu MP refers to Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing
Dewan Rakyat’s Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said this morning announced that the SSC had met online yesterday, and thanked the members for selecting her as its chairman.
Others in the SSC include Rubiah Wang (GPS/PBB-Kota Samarahan), Che Alias Hamid (PAS- Kemaman), Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh (PAS-Pasir Puteh), Fuziah Salleh (PH/PKR-Kuantan), and Lau herself.
Former deputy women’s minister Hannah Yeoh congratulated Azalina’s appointment via Twitter, but sarcastically pointed out that the inclusion of other Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs in it were due to the decision of the PN backbenchers’ chief.
“In Parliament, I have also raised the issue of unequal representation in Select Committees,” Yeoh said in a separate tweet.
“It should reflect the actual composition of Opposition, ie if we have close to 50 per cent MPs, we should have at least three to four Opposition MPs in these Committees and not just two!”
