DAP leader and Bandar Klang representative Teng Chang Khim today demanded that the police apologise to him and the media over their actions at the Selangor state assembly hall yesterday.

Teng was 'dragged out' of the hall yesterday by state police chief Mohd Noor Hamat and CID chief Abu Bakar Mustapa after he repeatedly protested against Speaker Onn Ismail's decision to reject a motion from him and refused to leave the premises.

It was also reported that the police chief had warned reporters not to interview the opposition politician.

According to a News Straits Times report, Mohd Noor "tugged the shoulders of two reporters" and said: Jangan lebih-lebih. Saya sudah cakap tak boleh. Nanti saya halau kamu keluar . (Don't overdo it. I already said no. Don't let me chase you out.)"

Teng said the police had infringed his rights as well as the media's and therefore they must issue an apology.

"They (also) failed to invoke any laws to back their actions," he added when contacted.

The state assembly standing orders were amended last year to allow the speaker to summon the police to enforce any decision or order made by him.

The drama

In yesterday's incident at about 3.15pm, Teng stood up during the 2004 Budget debate and informed the House that he had filed a motion to reduce Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo's salary by RM50.

The Speaker rejected it, saying that it did not meet the two-day notice required since the motion was only submitted on Monday.

The DAP leader then argued that Monday was the earliest for him to submit the application and that the two-day ruling should not be applied in this case.

Onn then referred the matter to state legal adviser Badariah Hasan who agreed that Teng had failed to comply with the requirement.

Teng then refused to sit after being ordered to do so and a shouting match erupted, prompting the Speaker to cite Standing Order 44 (3) to suspend the former.

Mohd Khir read out the motion to suspend the DAP leader until tomorrow and it was passed.

However, Teng refused to leave and claimed that the move was unfair as his name was not mentioned in full by the menteri besar.

Onn then ordered the sergeant-at-arms to escort the opposition leader out but the former refused to budge. Next, the security officials were summoned but this failed as well.

Finally, the Speaker adjourned the House and called the police - a first by the House following the amendments to the standing orders last year.

'No 1 criminal'

Commenting on this, Teng said he was puzzled as to what empowered the police officers to act in that manner since there is a difference between the legislature and the executive.

"When they removed me from the hall, the two cops failed to reply to my query under which section of the Police Act were they evicting me under," said the lawyer cum politician.

He added that he was treated him like the 'No 1 criminal' as the state's top police officers had come to remove him from the House.

"Even if it is a serious crime, usually it is only an ASP who will be called. So yesterday was another honour accorded to me by the police," he quipped.

On his motion, Teng said since Monday is excluded from the two day count - according to the interpretation of the speaker - therefore he could not meet the time frame as he could only submit the motion after the menteri besar finished tabling the budget.

He added that he could not wait until today since only two days were fixed for the debate on the budget.

This is the vocal DAP leader's third suspension this year.

To show their support to him, the other five opposition representatives in the House also abstained from attending today's proceedings.

In a related development, the state police chief today denied that he had acted harshly with reporters.

Mohd Noor said he had merely told the reporters not to interview Teng in the House but to do it at the lobby.

"I have my reasons for doing so, especially in ensuring that the situation does not become even more chaotic," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .