Debating Sulu issue would reveal country's strategy

KUALA LUMPUR - Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun has explained his decision to not allow the issue on the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate to be debated.

He said the decision was made to avoid all government strategies and plans in the case that was still ongoing in court to be known by the other party.

"We are talking about the Sulu's demands. There is an ex-parte order in which we have to pay US$15 billion. Do we want to discuss about it and when it is being debated we would not know what would be said.

"This will lead to the government's strategy to do this and that to be revealed. There would be criticism towards the action that the government is expecting to take.

"The other party will surely read it (Malaysia's strategies). Wouldn't that damage the government's interest in the litigation proceedings?" he said in Dewan Rakyat here on Wednesday.

Azhar made the explanation when several opposition MPs including its leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim questioning his decision to not approve the motion to debate the matter.

He said Malaysia should not be revealing its strategies to avoid "handing the bullet" to the other party as the strategy was also similar to being on the battlefield.

"Right now we are defending our sovereignty (although) there are members who are not, but we are in fact defending it.

"It is my responsibility to not allow the issue to be discussed," he said.