Motion to suspend three Opposition MPs listed; Azmin, Sivarasa ejected

Published: Wednesday December 15, 2010 MYT 11:46:00 AM
Updated: Wednesday December 15, 2010 MYT 2:20:12 PM
Motion to suspend three Opposition MPs listed; Azmin, Sivarasa ejected (Update)
By TEH ENG HOCK

KUALA LUMPUR: A motion to suspend three Opposition MPs for six months for committing contempt was listed in the Dewan Rakyat's Order Paper on Wednesday.

It is stated in the Order Paper that a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department would move the motion against Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor), Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) and R.Sivarasa (PKR-Subang).

Both Karpal Singh and Sivarasa, who are members of Rights and Privileges Committee members, were cited for contempt for making statements outside the house on the proceeding of the committee on Dec 3.

It said they had disclosed testimonies and a letter revealed during the committee meeting. As such, they had contravened Standing Order 85, which states that statements obtained in front of a select committee and any letters issued to it cannot be shown to anyone until the notice is brought to the Dewan Rakyat.

It said Azmin had, in a notice dated Dec 6 under Standing Order 18(1), touched on the testimonies and letter that was submitted to the committee.

Their actions is offensive and against their rights and privileges as MPs and is in contempt of the Dewan, it said.

The motion to cite the three for contempt was related to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who has been referred to the Rights and Privileges Committeee for alleging that 1Malaysia is linked to One Israel Campaign via Apco Worldwide.

The committee had tabled its findings in Dewan Rakyat recommending Anwar to be suspended for six months.

Later, Sivarasa and Azmin were ejected from the House.

Sivarasa had earlier raised the Chair's dismissal of his emergency motion to debate the WikiLeaks issue.

This then prompted Azmin to bring up the motion against them listed in the Order Paper, resulting in a war of words between Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and Opposition MPs.

At one point, Pandikar Amin told the MPs, who were challenging the motion, that if they insisted on talking about the issue, he would not proceed with the Order of the day.