Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin should attend the Dewan Negara sitting next week to clarify and apologise for his statement on Universiti Malaysia Sabah student, Veveonah Mosibin.

Dewan Negara Speaker Tan Sri Rais Yatim made the decision after Senator Alan Ling Sie Kiong submitted an urgent motion in accordance with Standing Orders 25 (1) (q) to refer Zahidi to the Dewan Negara Rights and Freedom Committee over his action in giving false answers during the sitting last Thursday.

"After considering the matter thoroughly, we must first agree that he should come to this Dewan and give his views and explanation and apologise to the relevant parties.

"If he refuses to do so, we will refer him to the Rights and Freedom Committee next week. That is my view and I hope it can be recorded as a preliminary decision before the actual de facto directive is brought to the committee, ” he said.

Earlier, Ling told Dewan Negara that he had submitted the motion on Sept 7 and it would take 14 days before it could be discussed in the sitting.

-- BERNAMA