KUALA LUMPUR, 23 Oct 2008: DAP chairman and Bukit Gelugor member of parliament (MP) Karpal Singh has been suspended for two days from today from the Dewan Rakyat.
The suspension came about after he claimed the Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia was “fooling around” and “not serious” in conducting the proceedings of the house.
“I am using the powers vested in me under Standing Order 44 (3) to suspend the Bukit Gelugor MP for two days for using disrespectful words. I am serious now and not playful,” said Pandikar Amin.
Karpal Singh accusing Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz of insulting the blind when replying to a question from Wee Choo Keong (PKR-Wangsa Maju) on the bill the government incurred for the Bar Council dinner in April.
The lawyer had cited Standing Order 36 (4) on the use of offensive language in taking Nazri to task.
Mohamed Nazri, when replying to Wee, had said that people would be blind if they could not figure out that the relationship between the Bar Council and the previous prime minister was not that good.
Pandikar Amin explained that Mohamed Nazri had not insulted the physically challenged.
Karpal Singh then said: “Mr Speaker, Sir, do not fool around. You are not serious in this matter.”
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim then stood up and asked Pandikar Amin to change his mind about suspending Karpal Singh.
The speaker replied that he could compromise on his decision if Anwar (PKR-Permatang Pauh) could give an assurance that such a thing would not be repeated in the future. — Bernama
