The parliament need not decide whether the Member of Parliament for Batu, Tian Chua, loses his parliamentary seat following the RM2,000 fine imposed on him by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on

Thursday for biting a policeman three years ago.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said, on the other hand, everyone should hold to the decision made by Justice Ghazali Cha to reduce the six-month jail and RM3,000 fine imposed by the Magistrate's Court in October last year to a fine of RM2,000 to avoid a by-election for the Batu parliamentary seat.

"My view is that the court is a place where the judge will make

interpretations on the provisions of the acts and laws.

"The judge has decided to fine Tian Chua RM2,000 because he did not want Tuan Chua to be disqualified," he told reporters after the Padang Rengas Umno division meeting, in Padang Rengas, Perak, today.

The Padang Rengas Member of Parliament was commenting on the news report in The Star today that Parliament should decide on the status of Tian Chua and this decision would be final.

Under Article 48 (1)(e) of the Constitution, an MP is disqualified if

sentenced to jail for a term of not less than one year or a fine of not less than RM2,000, and has not received a pardon.

- Bernama