MIC secretary-general S Sothinathan has been suspended as a deputy minister for three months over his remarks at yesterday's parliamentary debate on the Crimea State Medical University (CSMU) issue.

The unprecedented decision was made at a cabinet meeting today. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that the suspension was because Sothinathan had breached BN party discipline.

"We made a decision to suspend him with immediate effect for what he did in parliament," Abdullah told a press conference.

"He's a member of the front bench, he should not have taken a stand like he did, criticising is own government. It is certainly a breach of party discipline," he said.

Sothinathan, who is deputy minister for natural resources and environment, could not be reached for his reaction on the suspension.

Yesterday, Sothinathan irked Barisan Nasional backbenchers when he broke ranks and interrupted Deputy Health Minister Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad over a point raised in explaining the decision to withdraw recognition for Ukraine-based CSMU.

The withdrawal of recognition by state agency, the Malaysian Medical Council, has affected about 1,400 Malaysian students who are currently studying at the university - the oldest and leading medical university in Ukraine.

The non-recognition resulted in the students, who are mostly Indian Malaysians, not being able to practice as doctors upon graduation, but will have to sit for an additional medical qualifying examination under the MMC.

Latiff told Parliament during a heated debate yesterday that the decision was made to maintain the quality of our doctors, and stressed that it had "nothing to do with race, ethnicity and religion".

He said the number of Malaysian students in CSMU had increased from 53 to 1,366 in May this year.

According to Latiff, unqualified CSMU students, including those who failed their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, had obtained no-objection letters from the Higher Education Ministry to enable them to enrol in the university.

Samy: No comment

Sothinathan, who was agitated by Latiff's remarks that the majority of those who graduated from unrecognised universities were Indians, had pressed the deputy health minister on how the Higher Education Ministry could have issued no-objection letters to unqualified students.

He also asked why one community was being single out when the problem of unrecognised medical graduates involves all communities in Malaysia.

"If MMC is indeed professional, how come it recognised CSMU in 2001? Why did it make a decision in haste?" he asked.

The debate, which was sparked by an emergency motion moved by the opposition DAP, saw the blurring of party affiliations with DAP and MIC MPs exchanging barbs with Umno MPs over the issue.

Works Minister S Samy Vellu, contacted by reporters in Parliament today, refused to comment.

Samy, who is MIC chief, had earlier described the MMC decision as a move to prevent more Indians from becoming doctors.

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) said that the parliamentary culture of allowing MPs to reflect the people's views without having to toe a party line is still "very superficial if not alien in Malaysia".

"This 'Big Brother' rule for BN back-bench criticism of ministers was broken yesterday, and this explained the strong adverse reaction to the MIC position in Parliament and the 'high drama' over my emergency motion on the MMC

derecognition of CSMU medical degrees," he added.

Seating moved

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz told reporters at Parliament lobby this afternoon that Sothinathan's seat in the House will be moved to the backbencher area from the frontbench during the three-month suspension.

However, he will continue to receive the perks of a MP, the minister said.

Nazri forwarded a video tape and parliamentary Hansard of the proceedings yesterday to the premier and Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who is also BN whip, immediately after the sitting yesterday.

On why Sothinathan was not referred to the Parliament's Privileges Committee first, Nazri - who oversees parliamentary affairs - said it was because the former has not committed any offence as a MP.

"If you are a member of the administration, it's your duty to defend the stand, policy and decision of the government. You can't have your own cake and eat it. If you don't agree, you can resign and always speak as a backbencher," he added.

Nazri also said that no disciplinary action will be taken against K Devamany (BN-Cameron Highlands) and M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) who have been vocal during the same debate yesterday.

Earlier today, Kulasegaran told a press conference that he was made to understand that he might be referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee for disciplinary action.

Kulasegaran was accused of being a racist by Nazri during the parliamentary debate.