MIC has been deliberating today on submitting an appeal to the Barisan Nasional (BN) over its decision to suspend party secretary-general S Sothinathan as a deputy minister for three months over his remarks at yesterday's parliamentary debate on the Crimea State Medical University (CSMU) issue.

"It is a BN decision, every party including MIC agreed with it. However, we might appeal," MIC Youth chief S Vigneswaran, who is also the Youth and Sport Ministry parliamentary secretary, told malaysiakini at the Parliament lobby this afternoon.

Sothinathan, who is deputy minister for natural resources and environment, was suspended for breaching BN discipline after he questioned Deputy Health Minister Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad's reply on the government's decision to withdraw recognition for Ukraine-based CSMU.

This was being debated in the House, after an emergency motion was tabled by the opposition.

The shocking news on Sothinathan's suspension, which spread through Parliament this afternoon also elicited mixed response from MPs.

Most of the BN backbenchers when approached refused to comment on the issue, but opposition leaders called for the suspension to be revoked.

'Take action'

However, Backbenchers Club (BBC) head Shahrir Abdul Samad said backbenchers who met this afternoon agreed that action should be taken against Sothinathan as his outburst went against the notion of collective responsibility in Parliament and the spirit of BN.

"The suspension should be carried out in order to regulate their parliamentary behaviour - a member of the administration should not go against or challenge the answer given by another member of the administration," he told reporters.

"Demands of the party can be discussed in other avenues, not in Parliament."

He also said MIC representatives present at the BBC meeting had only requested for due consideration when taking disciplinary action against their party's secretary-general.

Shahrir stressed that those in the front bench should know their responsibility as representatives of ministries and the government in making statements in Parliament, because they are not representing the party.

' Revoke decision'

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) was the first to object to Sothinathan's suspension during a debate on the Private Employment Agencies Bill 2005 in the House today.

"Do you all agree with this? The suspension should be withdrawn because it is an injustice. I hope all MIC MPs here can stand up to show your support (to this call)," he said aloud.

However, none of the MPs from the MIC responded but Mohd Said Yusof (BN-Jasin) told Lim not to interfere as the suspension was a BN matter.

"The suspended person did not even say anything," said Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading), who interrupted and told Lim not to interfere in BN affairs.

PAS Youth chief and Kubang Kerian MP Salahuddin Ayub shared Lim's sentiments in calling for the suspension to be revoked, saying that Sothinathan was speaking "for the sake of the nation".

"The motion was accepted for debate by the House as it is a people's issue, not a racist one as claimed by certain quarters. Therefore anyone in the House has the right to speak on the matter," he said when contacted.

Deputy Speaker Lim Si Cheng described the decision as unprecedented and said he has not seen such an exchange between two deputy ministers since he became the deputy speaker in 1999.